Star Wars Adventures of Tahiri: Tell me a secret
by Mik Sunrider
Summary: Complete Tahiri has a new mission, to train with the Wraiths .... will Face and Kell be able to handle a Yuuzhan Vong Jedi?
1. Default Chapter

_I don't own Star Wars only the big guy does, I'm just playing around in his universe. I'm doing this for my own enjoyment and will not nor plan to nor expect any form of compensation for these stories. And if the big guy ever finds out about this I hope that he will be understanding and won't sue me till the ends of the Earth. And if you do read these stories I hope that you also enjoy them_.

Star Wars

New Jedi Order

Adventures of Tahiri

Tell me a secret.

Tahiri was getting frustrated again, why the military had to run the way it did was beyond her understanding, as is their reason to write such a huge book explaining their rules. To her, they seemed to make rules about everything that a person did during the day, could want to do during the day or, at times it seemed, could think about doing. Some of them seemed to her to be very silly but she had to learn this book by the end of the week. That is when the rest of the new recruits were scheduled to arrive to the Wraith base and she had to finish her accelerated training by then. Major Tainer had told her, almost gleefully, that this was her first test to being a Wraith. They wanted at least one of the new recruits to know something about proper military conduct.

"After all we need at least one person who can keep the others out of the brig." He said when he dropped off this huge brick on her data pad.

It has taken almost 4 days to read it, along with her other duties. Her other duties consisted of sitting in with Major Tainer and Commander Loran and learning everything about the military that most others learn in boot camp and flight school. Some of the things she remembered from her days as squadron commander of the Barefoot Squadron, such as proper communications protocols, pre-flights, saluting. Other things were not something she had to worry about such as bed making and the proper way to store clothes under her bunk. When she mentioned how crazy that was, they just laughed.

"Remember there is the right way and the wrong way, then there is the military way." Commander Loran had said. "There is also the Wraith way, but we don't want to scare you just yet. We will wait for the rest to get here before we do that."

So every morning at 0430 she had to be up and ready for room inspections before she could join the rest of the old timers for breakfast. After that she would work out with Tainer and or Shalla, their hand to hand expert, talk with Dr. Baljos Arnjak, the Wraiths expert on all things Yuuzhan Vong, about Yuuzhan Vong biology and society concerns, try to learn bomb making with Tainer, the fact she hadn't blown them both up yet was a good sign, and fighter tactics with Piggy. She would study computer slicing, how to use many different weapons, and other skills they thought she might need. She never argued, much, with their training exercises; even after they told her it was only going to get harder after this.

Of course the two hardest things to get use to was the prohibition of her Jedi powers. Both Major Tainer and Commander Loran had stressed that during her training period she was forbidden from using the Force in any manner. She would have to learn how to do everything just like normal people. In a way she was willing to go along with that, after all a Jedi is not supposed to use the Force for everything. The Force was there to guild you and helps you, not to be your slave. But it was hard to remember not to use it sometimes.

The second thing was her new identity; she was now called 'Sara Sandblaster', an 18-year-old rookie pilot from the planet Tatooine. They had found records of an old family moister farm way out in the Dune Sea that would fit the bill. No one has had much contact with the family and the little contact they did have seem to suggest that they had a working agreement with the Sand people. Tahiri confirmed this when she told them about a farm her tribe would pass by. Her tribe had told her that those people were to be left alone since they were willing to give them water during their travels. They figured that Tahiri had enough knowledge of Tatooine that she could easily pass as a native. Something she found very amusing when they told her that. The parts of her history in the military was easy to replicate since the classes were so huge that it was impossible for everyone to know everyone else. And since Borleias was now the main training base for the Galactic Alliance, her presence here before the rest showed up was easily explained. The actual base that the Wraith was using was remote part of the world. Although it was within easy distance of the seas, mountains and a short flight to the polar regains; hiking through snow was not Tahiri's idea of a fun afternoon.

Of course some things were not so bad for her. Little Brother and her got to work together since there was no regulation governing the use of droids during off duty time or while they were not on alert. So there had been some good news coming out of reading that book after all. Little Brother even got a new paint job out of the deal. Since he also had to blend in with the crowd he was now silver with purple trim, a new color he would not shut up about either. Tahiri would swear if he could Little Brother would spend all day in front of a mirror just so he could admire himself, who would though a droid could be so vain? Tahiri, on the other hand, was free to wear her combat suit or body stockings while on and off duty, a fact that amused the older Wraiths to no end. They told her most pilots hated wearing anything that was that tight fitting since they didn't want to look fat or anything. She would laugh with them and joke it was because they were all as old as rocks and she was young and had an easier time staying fit. But secretly she was pleased that was why they thought she wanted to wear them, in truth the combat suits and body stockings covered more of her skin then any other clothes she was allowed to wear. So only her face and hands were visible to everyone. She knew that sooner or later she would be forced to wear normal clothes but until then she planned to be as comfortable as possible.

One thing that will stop when the other recruits get here is the relaxed meals they share. During the meal periods the older Wraith would talk about everything and anything in the galaxy. She was fascinated at the wide range of topics they would discuss, everything from some stupid holo show program to politics. She never joined in the discussions but she did pay attention to them. That was her way, to sit back and observer and learns.

"**Flight Officer Sandblaster report to briefing room 3, Flight officer Sandblaster report to briefing room 3.**" The annoying loudspeaker system blared all over the base. She grabbed her data pad, tapped Little Brother on the dome and out the door before it finished. Major Tainer had pounded into her the need to move quickly when she was summoned somewhere, if she was too slow it was push-ups or worst. No matter how fast she was, how quickly she did what was required or how well she had done on the task; she never did quite good enough for him. Several times she had been tempted to use the Force to help her but always held back. She told them she would not use the Force and she would not break her word.

As she raced into the room she saw major Tainer sitting at the head of the table with his boots up on the surface of the desk and his hand behind his head watching the clock.

"Flight Officer Sandblaster reporting as ordered sir!" She yelled out as she came to attention.

"Ah 38 seconds, not bad Flight Officer Sandblaster."

"Yes sir, thank you sir!" She said he had yet to return her salute. If she came out of attention before he returned the salute or told her to stand at ease; well she was really tired of doing push ups.

"Have you finished reading the Military Code?" He asked still not letting her drop her salute.

"Yes sir!"

"Ah good so you are ready to take the test then."

"Sir?"

"Well you know it inside and out don't you? I bet you know it better then you know your own name."

"Sir, I was still studying the text and …"

"I thought you said you read it?"

"Yes sir."

"So you should be ready for the 500 question test I going to give you, correct?"

"Sir, I don't think I'm prepared to …"

"What?" He said dropping his hands into his lap and looking at her as if she suddenly started speaking Hutt. Tahiri cringed, hoping it didn't show on her face, she just noticed the trap she had fallen into … again. "Did I just hear a Wraith say that she was not prepared?"

"Sir, no I'm ready to take the test."

"You sure Flight Officer Sandblaster? We could give you more time. Would a day do? How about a month? Couple years on Zonama Sekot?"

"No sir, I'm prepared." She knew what happened if she failed, she should be sent back.

"Very well," he said finally returning her salute, "you have one hour. Every question you miss you have to do one push up. Begin!"

She sat down and brought up the test on her pad, her muscles already cramping at the thought of doing more push-ups. But she would do them or else. That threat was always present, they reminded her many times a day, and if she failed she would go back to Zonama Sekot. There was no greater threat they could give her to ensure she lived up to the Wraiths standards.

"Relax Luke she has been here for a month and hasn't killed us yet." Face said to the image of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Master and the biggest detractor of his plans for Tahiri. Out of all the members of the Jedi Council, Luke had argued the loudest and longest against letting Tahiri joining the Wraiths. He felt that having a Jedi join the Wraiths would be a quick ticket to the dark side. And the fact that it is was Tahiri who Face wanted only made things worst for him.

"It is that 'yet' part that worries me."

"Ah we have worked with Jedi before, you know."

"Tyria Sarkin does not count. She didn't become a Jedi until after she left the Wraiths. And she is not as strong in the Force as Tahiri is not, nor did she have the unique problems that Tahiri has. This time Mara and I won't be around either."

"Is that what you are worried about Luke? You are afraid that Tahiri will suddenly decide she rather conquer the galaxy as a Vong Jedi then do spy work?"

"That is one thing I'm worried about, yes."

"So far Luke she has been doing a outstanding job here, she does follow orders we give her. She has had many opportunities to break her word about using the Force and she hasn't. I think she has the discipline to control herself if push come to shove." Face picked up a data pad on the desk next to him. "Besides I have a perfect roommate for her. The girl is 3 years older then Tahiri, from Kidriff 5, is an expert slicer and mechanic. Her piloting skills are pretty poor and she needs help understanding orders and working with others."

"Why is she joining the Wraiths?" Luke said with that Jedi stare.

"I figure both of them could learn a lot from each other." Face said as if Luke hadn't said anything.

"Why?"

"Why do I think they could learn from each other?" He said trying to sound innocent.

"No why is this other girl joining the Wraiths? What had she done?"

"It is no big deal." Face said but Luke just kept giving him that stare. "Look it does not really matter, besides the Judge …"

"Judge? FACE!"

"Luke trust me, none of us would let anything bad happened to Tahiri. We all like the kid and will watch out for her. And this roommate she will get, she will push Tahiri to her limits. I need to push her to her limits now before we go out into the field. If she fails here we can correct the mistake, if she fails out there we could lose her."

"You're right Face, sorry. I guess I'm also worried why you need her so badly."

"Sorry Master Skywalker but I can't discuss that part of the operation. I am still not sure that we should allow her to identify herself even after the training is done."

"It is that important Face?"

"Yes, Luke. Seriously a lot is ridding on using Tahiri as a Wraith."

"Ok Face but if you run into any trouble with Tahiri …"

"You be the first one we call."

"Thanks for the update Face I talk to you later."

After Luke signed off, Face turned to stare out the window of his office. He wished he didn't have to leave Luke in the dark about his plans for Tahiri but for her own safety and the safety of the others he had too. Ever since peace was declared far too many intelligent agents had been found dead. More then they could account for as simple lucky guess on the Peace Brigade part. Somewhere in the Smugglers Alliance or the Ryn network or their own intelligence network there was a major leak. Somehow the remains of the Peace Brigade and other pirate groups were able to identified and eliminate their agents. The Wraiths had been giving the job to find this leak and eliminate it, no matter who it was. While the new and old Wraiths were rooting out the mole, he would send a second team out undercover to infiltrate the Peace Brigade. No one but Kell and him would know who this second team would be, not even his superiors would be briefed on it. 

Tahiri was a natural choice; she was a Jedi and had more knowledge of Yuuzhan Vong culture then anyone else in the galaxy, she had a ship that they could easily upgrade for these missions. Little Brother and her had already shown that they could do the job with the rescue of the Imperial Frigate _Widowmaker_. Plus she already had a cover story in place. They would just let everyone know that she 'washed out' and that she left to return to Zonama Sekot. And her cover identity she was using now would cover her when she posed as a down on her luck pilot working for an independent shipper who had a ship but could not fly. Hence her new roommate would be the owner. They would travel around the galaxy running freight until their 'plight' was known to the Peace Brigade and was recruited to work for them. It would take a while for them to get in good with the Peace Brigade but it was a second avenue to locate this mole. Even at worst case, they would have an inside track to the Brigade's and rogue Yuuzhan Vong plans. Tahiri and her partner would be a coffer pointed at their neck without them being any wiser.

Well a lot of that depends on Tahiri and her roommate getting along and not try to kill each other. Ratnena Bora was a wild card; she was an expert slicer and mechanic. Her father had own his own ship repair shop on Kidriff 5 and he taught her all he knew about motors and ships systems. Her oldest brother was a computer programmer who taught her how to slice into computers. She was an incredibly smart lady who soaked up information like a dry sponge on Tatooine. But she also had problems doing what she should be doing. When she turned 14 she fell in with a gang who would slice and dice their way through life. She had used her knowledge of computers and engines to help her new friends steal their city blind. She had been caught several times and been sent to juvenile prison. Each time she got out she became more and more unstable. Ratnena would suffer from violent mood swings and become increasing violent. Finally when she was 18 she was caught one too many times. The judge gave her a choice, go out and fight the Yuuzhan Vong or jail.

She chose the military and soon qualified to be a fighter pilot. Her scores were not very good but she did well enough to get into a X-Wing. She was assigned to the 3rd fleet and was doing well there until her commanding officer decided she would be a better pilot in bed then in a X-wing. She refused and he put her on report. He had gotten his 2nd in command and several other pilots to sign off on a 2nd report. This report would citing her desire to sleep her way up the ladder, how she would be willing to exchange sex for favors. Her commanding officer and the other pilots' confronter her saying if she refused them this report would be turned in and her career as a pilot would be over. So Ratnena decided to get even with them.

No one was actually hurt, but she did sabotages their X-wings and the droids. Basically causing them to miss fire, fall apart and the droids countermanding every order the received. For as smart as she is, Wedge was easily able to identify her as the one behind the sabotage. It wasn't too hard to figure out since she was the only one in the hanger laughing as her squadron fell apart.

The military court threw the book at her, sentencing her to 30 years at a penal colony. Wedge, who believed her more then the other pilots, had contacted Face to see if he had any use for her. So together Wedge and Face went to the judge and worked out a deal. If she could serve in the Wraiths, her sentence would be reduced. However if she is dismissed, washed out or commits any more crimes not relating to her duties; her sentence would be carried out in full. The Judge thought Face was crazy but signed off on the deal, figuring she would be behind bars within a week of joining the Wraiths.

And like Tahiri, Ratnena has been warned repeatedly that she would be watched closely and pushed harder then the rest of the recruits. She also had been told that she is not to discuss her deal with anyone until she was assigned to a team.

Face knew what a gamble having two women who potentially could kill everyone in the squadron and who both had some serious mental problems but the rewards were high too. If they can make it, if they can work together, they would be an unstoppable team. If they both make it.

Ratnena Bora walked into the office and drops her duty bag at her feet and saluted the officers seated at the desk. One of the officers was Commander Garik 'Face' Loran, the commanding officer of the super secret intelligent team called the Wraiths. It was because of his actions and General Antilles that she was not rotting on some penal planet or 'assisting' the rebuilding of some Vong ravage planet. She was grateful to him for giving her this second chance and wanted to prove to him and her family that she was not a loser.

Plus so far he hadn't tried to sleep with her. It was a problem she ran into with a lot of males, both in the military and when she ran with the "L"-street gang. What was it about men and their hormones? She didn't know but she just wished they would leave her alone. Back when she was running the streets it only took a couple swipes with any number of knives that she carried on her body to discourage any further discussion involving that subject. But when she was in the military, they frowned on that course of action. Although she had to admit that while it was not the smartest move on her part, the looks of her 'fellow' squadron mates faces as they climbed out of the rescue shuttle had been more satisfying then making them bleed.

The second officer was Major Kell Tainer, for what little she has been able to gather about him, he was the bomb maker of the group. She hoped that she could get him to teach her some tricks; she never worked with bombs before. It was always nice to learn new ways to kill people.

"Flight Officer Bora reporting as order sirs." She said holding her salute. When neither one returned her salute she knew she was being tested already. One thing Commander Loran had made very clear was that she would have to live up to his standards and that she would be tested through out her training period. He also made it very clear what would happen to her if she failed the Wraiths. Well she knew she could do this, she had to do this. It would kill her parents knowing that their baby daughter was rotting in jail forever. Come to think about it she wouldn't like it either.

"Welcome to Borleias Flight Officer Bora." Commander Loran said returning her salute.

"Thank you sir." She said remaining at attention.

"I see that you have no X-wing, A-wing or E-Wing assigned to you."

"Yes sir, they felt that allowing a prisoner to leave the prison in a fully armed and fueled X-wing would be too dangerous. They told me that I would leave on a shuttle and who ever is my new commanding officer was can assign me a X-Wing if he or she is suicidal."

"Is that what you going to tell everyone else?" Major Tainer asked.

"No sir, since no one at this base is to be informed of my," she paused to search for the right phrase, " my previous duty assignment."

"What will you tell them?"

"I'm not sure sir. I was hoping that you could give me some ideas, sirs."

"Let's here what you think it should be."

"Yes sir." She had thought about what would be an easy lie to remember and would account for the past 6 months that she spent in jail while she was flying here in a shuttle. So far, thanks to her slicing skills, she has yet to see a name of anyone who might know her. All the pilots were from many different commands so even if they had been in the 3rd fleet the chances of anyone knowing someone on her ship was equally small. "Sir, I was injured during the Battle of Mon Calamari. I had several server injuries that took many months for me to heal properly. When I was transferred here, they decided that I could wait till I got here to get an X-wing. That way they could save credits on the cost of a X-Wing."

"That could work." Commander Loran said, "But what if there is someone from your old command or the hospital command stationed here with you?"

"I would have to check the records …"

"Which you already have."

"Sir?" She started to sweat, if they got upset with her slightly illegal search of the base personal, well she knew what would happened.

"Remember Bora I expect complete honesty from you. If I catch you lying I will fly you to prison myself." Loran said staring her down. She knew what was coming next. "Now did you check the base records?"

"Yes sir." she said miserably, she wished she could control her impulses they always get her into trouble.

"And what did you find?"

"Sir, um no one stationed at this base was anywhere near Mon Calamari during the battle or in the hospital that I would have been healing at."

"Then your story should hold up during your training correct?" He waited for her to nod then he went on. "Just to let you know I have a program that monitors all computer access into and out of this base. You slice and I will know about. I know better to order you to stop so I tell you this; stay out of private personal files, stay out of secret and higher files. And most importantly never lie to me. Understand Flight Officer Bora?

"Yes sir!"

"Good enough for now. By the way did you see your roommates file?"

"Sir, yes I did but I didn't stay long in there."

"What did you think of her?"

"Well sir like I said I didn't stay in there very long, just long enough to find out if my story would hold up."

"Of course and?"

"Well sir, she seems …" She paused to figure out how to say this nicely, "sir she seems to be a bit of a boring girl. She went straight from the farm to training to here."

Both older men exchange an odd look but let the matter drop.

"Very well, you are excused until 0430 tomorrow. The evening meal is scheduled at 1800 hours. Dismissed."

She saluted smartly and head out the door to her room and this young but boring sounding roommate.


	2. Chapter 2

Tahiri looked around the dorm room one more time to make sure it was neat and clean for her new roommate. Tahiri never had to share a room before, when she was a child in the deserts of Tatooine she would sleep in the deserts snuggled up against her bantha; Bangor. As a only child in the cramped World ship traveling thru the dark skies between galaxies she has vague memories of being in a dorm setting but they were more hazy then most of her memories. At Yavin 4, she had her own room and refresher and she had her own cabin when she was a squadron commander. So having to share a small room, as this one would be a different sort of challenge to her and one she was not sure she really wants to deal with.

First the room was kind of small, the room its self was 9.14 meters wide 6.09 meters long, it had two small bunks, two small desk and a refresher off to one side. All their clothes, uniforms, footwear, flight suits, flight gear and other items were stored under the bunks. The desk had three drawers and a flat area to work on. She kept her clock on the desk but that was about it. She knew that some people keep pictures and other reminders of their love ones on their desk but she couldn't.

The holos she had of the Solos' and Skywalkers' she had to leave them back on the _Double Trouble_ since they would be a dead give away as to her real identity. She also had to keep her pendent of Yum-Yammka back on her ship also. The only thing that she could bring along with her that anyone could use to identify her was her light saber. However, it is stored in Little Brother and was only allow to be used in a life and death situation. She did practice her Jedi, Yuuzhan Vong and Tuskin Raider self-defense moves since they necessary for her to keep up her practice and it can be explain away as something else.

Little Brother beeped and whistled at her from his position at the foot of her bunk. She had to bring up her wrist comm that she wore on her left arm to see the translation. That was something else that she had to leave behind, her supply of tizowyrm so she had to rely on computers to do the translations for her. It was slower and more annoying then letting the tizowyrm do the job.

TAHIRI, ARE YOU OK?

"Yea why?"

TAHIRI, YOUR VITAL SIGNS ARE ELEVATED.

"Oh that, well I guess I'm just nervous about meeting our new roommate." She commented while smoothing out her bunk for the fifth time.

WHY?

"Well, it's just … uh … well it hard to explain I mean we will be spending several weeks together in this small room and … um … look lets just say it is complicated human thing."

THEREFORE, YOU DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE NERVOUS AND YOU ARE JUST TELLING ME THAT EXCUSE SO I WILL DROP THE SUBJECT.

"Where would you get an idea like that?" She said glaring at the droid; she hated being figured out by anyone.

R2-D2 HAD WARNED ME ABOUT SEVERAL HUMAN TRAITS WHEN WE WERE AT DENON LAST MONTH. HE FELT SINCE WE WILL BE WORKING TOGETHER PERMANENTLY THAT HE SHOULD WARN ME ABOUT THE ILLOGICAL ACTIONS OF HUMANS.

"Oh he did, did he? How do you know he knows what he is talking about?"

R2-D2 HAS OVER 50 YEARS EXPERIENCE DEALING WITH ILLOGICAL HUMANS, ESPECIALLY JEDI HUMANS. HE HAS THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF HOLOS AND TEXT RECORDING OUTLINE AND PROVING HIS POINT. I FOUND IT TO BE VERY INFORMATIVE AND DOES EXPLAIN A LOT ABOUT YOUR BEHAVIOR, ALTHOUGH YOUR YUUZHAN VONG PRESONIALITY DOES AFFECT YOUR THOUGHT PATTERNS, THEY ARE STILL WITHIN THE HUMAN NORM.

"Oh really!" She said sitting down on her bed; she crossed her arms and continued to glare at her friend. "And what behavior had you been able to understand now after chatting with Artoo?"

AFTER YOU HAD YOUR DOMAIN MARKS REMOVED, YOU CHANGED YOUR HAIR STYLE SO THAT THE FRONT PART OF YOUR HAIR IS NOW BLOCKING THAT AREA OF YOUR FOREHEAD SO THAT SOMEONE LOOKING AT YOU CANNOT NOTICE THEY ARE MISSING. IT IS NORMAL FOR HUMANS TO COVER UP AREAS OF THEIR BODIES THAT THEY ARE EMBARRASSED TO SHOW.

"Is that all?" Tahiri said trying to sound casual about it, but she was not happy that he figured out why she had change her hairstyle. If he noticed then she was sure other had noticed also, she was starting to wonder if she was as smart as she thought she had been.

YOU WEAR YOUR COMBAT SUIT OR FLIGHT SUIT SO THAT YOU HAVE MAXIMUM COVERAGE OF YOUR BODY AT ALL TIMES. YOU ONLY ALLOW OTHERS TO SEE YOUR FACE AND HANDS. YOU DO THIS SO YOU DO NOT HAVE TO EXPOSE THAT FACT THAT YOU HAVE NO BATTLE TATTOOS ON YOUR BODY AS PER YUUZHAN VONG CUSTOM.

"And how do you know I have no tattoos on me?" She replied angrily.

TAHIRI I VISITED YOU DAILY WHILE YOU WERE IN THE BACTA HEALING TANK, I OBSERVED NO TATTOOS ON YOUR PERSON.

She tried to think of a come back for that one but was unable too. It was annoying just how right Little Brother was, that is why she does what she does. Not only did her upbringing, all three of them, instilled a strong sense of modesty in her but the fact she had no battle tattoos or scars was very embarrassing to her. Nevertheless, she will never wear any because of who she was. The Yuuzhan Vong wore them so that gods and others could see the history of the lives. By reading the different tattoos, you can see all the bearers' highs and lows in life, if they were a good person or a bad person and their devotion to the gods. However, since she helped disprove the old thinking about the gods, she was sure that the tattoos would fall out of favor with the surviving Yuuzhan Vong. Even if they didn't, no Yuuzhan Vong leader would ever grant her the honor of wearing them. Since so many of them wishes, she had never been shaped in the first place. One solution could be for her to just go ahead and have them placed on her without official consent but that seemed wrong, dishonorable. Therefore, she felt that she was stuck like a scherkil hla in the jaws of a qhal. Although there were some common grounds in her duel heritage, some times the differences were glaring and unsolvable.

TAHIRI DID I MAKE YOU SAD?

"Uh? Oh no, not really. It's just I was thinking about what you were saying that is all. I guess I didn't like hearing that I'm not as clever as I thought I was. I guess if you figured out then other must have figured it out too." She scooted back against the wall and hugged her legs as she looked over at Little Brother. "Battle tattoos are very important to a warrior and they show them off proudly for all to see. However, since I don't have any or will ever get any, I wanted to hide the fact that I don't have them. I don't want anyone to think I'm an unworthy warrior but as a Jedi, I know that I should not be interested in that kind of thinking. It is one of the few confusing parts left over from my merging. Now I'm wondering if Master Skywalker and Master Horn know why I wear what I wear."

MASTER SKYWALKER AND MASTER JADE-SKYWALKER DID NOT EXPRESS ANY CONCERNS OVER YOUR WARDROBE. THEY WERE MORE CONCERN WITH THE CONDITIONS OF YOUR TRAINING WITH THE WRAITH SQUADRON. SINCE YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO CONTACT THEM FOR HELP AND TO TALK ABOUT YOUR PROBLEMS WHILE YOU ARE HERE FOR TRAINING.

"Well that was sweet of them," she said with a knowing smile. She could see them both wondering whom Tahiri was going to be able to turn to when the going got tough. She couldn't talk about her Jedi background or her Yuuzhan Vong background with anyone on base. Not only was it against the rules but also she had hard enough time trusting people as is. Only with the Solo and Skywalker did she feel enough trust for her could be completely honest with them. Moreover, being cut off, as she was, she had decided earlier, that she would have to just learn not to talk about her problems. When she told this to Little Brother, he surprised her again.

**_"You would be surprise at the power of just knowing that there is someone who you can talk to, knowing there is someone you can trust even if they can't fix all the problems." _**The voice of Master Skywalker came from the speaker in Little Brother.

She sat there with her mouth hanging open then she started laughing.

"Is that your subtle hint that I should talk to you when I need to talk out my problems?" She asked Little Brother.

YES.

"Did you get a medical upgrade when I wasn't looking?" She asked in jest. Nevertheless, the more she thought about it the more sense it made. After all, he would keep everything she told him to himself. In addition, it would look bad if she spent a lot of time alone with Commander Loran or Major Tainer or the other Wraiths. "Ok as crazy as it sounds I think you are right."

I AM PLEASED THAT I WILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST YOU.

Tahiri was going to reply when the door to the room opened. Standing outside was a woman who was about 1.70 meters tall, about 3 centimeters taller then Tahiri was, and about the same build as her. She had blond hair that was piled on top of her head but fluffed out like a waterspout and one long lock that had a whole range of colored beads woven in. Tahiri guessed you could call her pretty, not that she was much of a judge on such things, but she did have very striking light blue eyes with a sprinkling of freckles across her nose. She was wearing the dress uniform of the Fighter Command and had a duty bag slung over her right shoulder. Her very light blue eyes scanned the room before she walked in, as if looking for some hidden trap. 

The 'old Tahiri Veila' was always a friendly, outgoing person before the shaping who had no trouble making people feel at easy in her presence. Tahiri knew she was not that open of a person but was willing to give it a shot; there was no harm in trying to be nice.

"Hello, I'm flight officer Sara Sandblaster." Tahiri said getting up from her bunk and walking over to the other woman, holding out her left hand. "And that is my partner Little Brother."

The woman finished looking around the room; she locked gazes with Tahiri and then looked down at her extended hand. Without another word, she pushed past Tahiri and went to her bunk.

_Well that was rude!_ Tahiri thought to herself as she stood there with her hand sticking out waiting for the shake that wasn't coming. She decided that the woman must be tired from her flight in and since she just was done with Face and Kell, she would just want a nap. _Yea, I am sure that is the reason. She will be friendlier later when she has had a chance to relax some._ Tahiri gave Little Brother the hand signal to remain silent and sat back on her bunk. She opened her data pad looking for something to occupy her time until 1800 hours. She watched, out of the corner of her eyes, her new roommate unpack her duty bag. The woman was very quick about it and before she closed the bunk, she had grabbed what looked like a sweet stick from one of the pockets. She then took off her socks and shoes and her dress uniform, which is when Tahiri noticed her first problem. The woman was _naked_ under her uniform! Tahiri could feel her face turn 15 shades of red as she quickly turn on her bunk so she was facing Little Brother, who was watching Tahiri and making the same noise he used to communicate laugher. _Great, he is noticing how embarrassed I'm!_

Tahiri busied herself with her pad, assuming the woman would either make herself decent or head into the refresher. However, the woman didn't do either she just sat down on her bunk. Tahiri had no idea how to handle this development; she was not use to seeing anyone just sitting around naked. At the academy everyone was required to wear what ever species they belong to had felt was conservative clothing, the Sand People would have to be insane to strip bare in the deserts of Tatooine and the Yuuzhan Vong only saw someone naked if it for the propose of mating. Tahiri kept sneaking glances as the woman sat cross-legged on her bunk, her back against the wall at the head of the bed, eating that sweet stick. She was acting as if this was the most natural thing in the world.

"Problem?" The other woman said.

Tahiri, naturally, looked over at the woman, who was now seated facing her.

"Problem? No, no problem." Tahiri said blushing again and looking away. _Oh look, this should be fascinating 'The care and cleaning of the refresher', how did I miss this before! _Tahiri thought trying hard to ignore her new roommate and the droid who was laughing again.

"Are you sure?"

"Yea I'm sure," she stuttered out lamely, _Never knew cleaning was such a detailed process,_ "Why would there be a problem?"

"I don't know why would there be a problem?"

"Well no problem here, yep everything is astro on this end. No problems what so ever." _Oh you should use cleaning product AW-009 not AW-007, have to remember that the next time I clean! _"Why would you think there was a problem? Do you see anything wrong? Not me everything is just fine!" Tahiri cringed as she heard her own voice crack at the end of that sentence.

"Ok." The woman said still eating the sweet stick. "I just thought something was bothering you that is all."

"Why would you think that?" She said trying hard to match the casual tone the other woman was using and failing. _Ah, the proper way to disposing trash, this book is so informative!_ Tahiri thought wishing it were time to go eat, go on duty; anything would happened to get her out of this conversation.

"Oh nothing really, I just never seen anyone blush so hard her hair was starting to turn red."

Tahiri's head shot up to look at the woman, her expression one of horror and then turned away, remembering why she was blushing in the first place.

"Um yea sorry it just … well it like this," Tahiri tried to get out while trying getting her blushing and embarrassment under some kind of control. "It just where I come from we don't get naked."

"Oh I see. Where you from?"

"Tatooine."

"Ah." That was all she said and went back to eating her sweet stick.

Tahiri was glad for the slight change in the subject, it gave her time to control her blushing and start a relaxation breathing exercise.

"So you people on Tatooine must really stink."

"_WHAT!"_ She asked whipping her head around to look at the other woman, only to start blushing and looking away again. _I have to break that habit of looking at the person I'm talking to!_ Tahiri thought angrily. "We don't stink!"

"So you do take showers?"

"Of course we take showers!"

"So you do get naked."

"Well of course we get naked sometimes … it just we don't … you know get naked around other people." Tahiri was getting more and more flustered by this woman. All the horror stories Master Skywalker and Horn told her about the strange people that the Wraiths attract started running through her mind.

"Ah," The older woman said again, Tahiri braced herself for the next question. Now matter what she says Tahiri would answer it in a control and adult manner. "So you guys lay eggs in the sand or something?"

"_WHAT!"_ Tahiri looked at her in shock; _Ok maybe I was not as prepared as I thought._ "No! We are human; we have kids just like any other humans!"

"So you do get naked around other people?"

"Yes, I mean no, I mean …" Tahiri stopped and closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "We have very strict rules about mating and such. We do not walk around naked in view of other persons unless we are engaged in mating rituals with that person."

"It's a religious thing?"

"Yes," Tahiri said quickly jumping on any excuse that she could use to stop this conversation and get this crazy woman to get dressed without being too rude. She is, from a certain point of view, following a religious tent of the Yuuzhan Vong and has heard of other religions that also had similar prohibition involving the improper manner of dress while in view of others. "We can only view another if we are engaged in mating rituals, in the past one could be killed for viewing at any other time then mating." Again, not a complete lie since those practices had stopped with the defeat of the Yuuzhan Vong.

"Oh so you have to mate with me now?"

"_WHAT?_"

"You said if you see someone naked you have to mate with them or else, right? So you have to mate with me now, right?"

"Yes, I mean no …"

"What don't you think I'm cute enough to mate with?"

"No … I mean yes … I mean …"

"So you do want to mate with me."

"Yes … I mean no … I … I …" Tahiri had no idea what she was saying or doing. _I can sense Yuuzhan Vong in the Force, I can fly Yuuzhan Vong ships, X-wings, even the Millennium Falcon; I can do many things that no other Jedi can do, except this deal with this strange woman! _Without even looking at her clock Tahiri, closed down her data pad and did the only thing she could think of, retreat! "Oh look at the time, I have to go somewhere and um do um you know something." She got up from her bunk and quickly headed for the door; on the way, she dropped her data pad. When she bent over to pick it up, she tripped over her own feet and almost took a header into the wall. Catching her self she opened the door and turn to her roommate. "I see you at evening meal." She saw the naked woman staring at her with a confused look on her face and of course the rest of her. Tahiri spun around and slammed her left shoulder in the doorframe. After she finally made it out the door and down the hallway, she was thinking about what just happened. _I would rather have someone stick me in an Embrace of Pain for a week then go through that again!_

Ratnena waited until Sara left the room and was certain that she was gone, and then she burst out laughing. She had thought that Sara would be the shy and the easily fluster type from reading her personal file and from the way she was dressed. _The poor girl_, Ratnena had never seen anyone actually turn purple from blushing so hard. _I'll apologies later to Sara but that was too funny_. Ratnena though as she pulled out a data pad from behind her.

"Hey droid is she always so skittish?" She asked the R2 unit watching the whole thing. As he beeped and whistled, she watches the translation scroll across her screen.

FLIGHT OFFICER SANDBLASTER IS A FINE PILOT AND IS QUITE CAPABLE OF HANDLING HER SELF IN MOST SITUATIONS. IN ADDITION, MY NAME IS NOT DROID IT IS 'LITTLE BROTHER'. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

"She maybe a good pilot but she can't deal with the unexpected very well." Ratnena said giggling, "And sorry Little Brother, my name is Ratnena Bora. Pleased to meet you. You guys come fresh from training?"

CORRECT, WE HAVE BEEN ON THIS BASE FOR TWO DAYS WAITING FOR THE REST OF THE POTENTIAL RECRUITS TO ARRIVE. YOU AND THE GROUP THAT ARRIVED TODAY IS THE FIRST OF THREE GROUPS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE.

"So what is it like here? They keep you hopping?"

YES, THEY HAVE AWAKENED FLIGHT OFFICER SANDBLASTER AT 0430 AND ORDERED LIGHTS OUT AT 2200 HOURS.

"Ewe, sounds like boot camp all over again." She said making a face, she knew from Loran and Tainer that this training period would be tough but she thought they meant mentally tough. If they get them up that early, that could only mean lots and many exercises.

THAT IS A COMMENT THAT FLIGHT OFFICER SANDBLASTER HAS MADE EARLIER.

"Oh joy." Ratnena said with a sour face and sticking the sweet stick back in her mouth.


	3. Chapter 3

Ratnena walked into the mess hall spotting her shy roommate almost immediately, she was right where Ratnena figured she would be, sitting at the far end of the room and alone. She also saw about six other, obviously rookies, sitting in a small group near the entrance of the mess hall. There were four humans, three males and one female, one Bothan male and one Mon Calamari male. The Bothan male head was on a swivel since he seemed to be trying to see everything in the room at the same time. From what Ratnena had heard about the Bothans and from her limited dealing with them, she was sure that the pilot was just being a typical Bothan. The small group was talking in low hushed voices, the kind that people used when they were not sure how to act in a new situation.

The next group of officers she came to was definably not rookies. Not only where they much older then the rest of the personal in the hall but they were louder, talkative and not caring who heard them. It also did not hurt that she noticed the commander and major sitting with that group almost right away. The commander and the major sat there with an older male, two females that had very similar looks about them. Not their body types, one was dark skin and a few years older and very in much better shape then the light skin one. No, it was the way they carried themselves, she had seen similar body languages from other males and females in bars and other such places. The kind of 'go ahead mess with me please, I would love to kill you.' look. It was the kind of look that she hoped to acquire and use after she finishes training to be a Wraith. She did enjoy cutting men who cannot take no for answer but she was tired of going to jail. If she could develop that look, it may cut back the number of people she had to fight off. The next two at the table was a big surprise. One was a Devonian male that she had met earlier since he was the medic for the group, and he had all kinds of _things,_ hanging around his neck was about the best that she could describe them. However, the biggest surprise of them all was the huge Gamorrean at the far end. She had heard about that species, they are hired more for their muscles not for their extensive vocabulary or dinner manners. She could hear a mechanical overlay to his voice and assumed that he had a translator build in his throat somehow, and he seemed to be carrying on an intelligent conversation. _Wraiths are as strange as I've heard back at the jail, _she though as she walked up to the counter to order her dinner. Behind the serving area was a two-tone, gold and silver, protocol droid.

"Good evening I'm Squeaky, the quartermaster, cook and sometime medic for the Wraith squadron. May I ask for your name please so I can access your personal file to insure you receive the proper meal?" The droid said in the normal prissy voice common to protocol droids.

"Yea sure, I'm Flight Officer Bora."

The droid was silent while it was looking up her file; Ratnena looked over at her roommate who had her nose buried in a data pad. _Is that all that girl does with her time is study?_

"I'm terribly sorry but I have yet to receive your file. Before I can serve you today, you must first check in with the commanding officer. That would be Commander Loran, who is …"

"Wait I did that already."

"You did check in already, when was this?" Ratnena was not sure but the droid seemed to go stiffer and his voice huffier.

"Earlier today I saw Major Tainer and him just after the noon meal hour."

"Oh I see," the droid said cheerfully even though Ratnena had the distinct impression it was anything but happy since as he talked he got louder and louder. "Well no problem then, I am sure it was a simple oversight by the commanding officer. He gets so busy doing his duties that he forgets that there are others on this base trying to do their jobs properly!"

Ratnena looked over at the table where Loran and Tainer were sitting at; both men exchanged looks with each other. They started talking in hushed but heated exchange.

"Sorry Squeaky, I'll send her file over right after dinner." Major Tainer said looking properly abashed.

"Thank you Major Tainer, I do appreciate being kept inform of the doings of the squadron as it pertains to supplies and such, especially now that we have so many new recruits coming and going through the base every day."

"Sorry Squeaky, I'll make sure you have all the updated files right after I finish the delicious dinner." He made a show out of smelling his plate of food. "Mm … mm the best food in all of the military and we have our Squeaky to thank for that."

"Flattery will get you no where Mr. Tainer." The droid said sarcastically, he then turned back to Ratnena and was pleasant again. "Well there is no reason for you to starve just because of another's mistake. Now we have 3 choices of meat, two different kinds of fowl and …"

"Sorry but I don't eat meat. I can only eat vegetarian meals."

"Oh dear, I'm sorry but we can't prepare such specialty food for each and every recruit that comes through this base. But if you feel it is necessary to have such special meals you must first consult our medical doctor …"

"I already saw … the … doctor." She said suddenly feeling eight years old again and getting caught tattling on her older brothers by mistake. 

"I see and you would have seen him right after seeing Commander Lorna and Major Tainer, correct?"

"Yes sir, err yes droid … I mean um …" Ratnena trailed off figuring the less she said the better off she would be. "Tell you what I'm not all that hungry …"

"Nonsense Flight Officer Bora, you should eat three healthy meals a day, not doing so would put your health at risk. And we can't have sick Wraiths around here since the good doctor is obviously far to busy with other projects to ensure that his patience's are properly fed by making sure the cook has the proper dietary requirements!"

Again, Ratnena wished that she could shrink down to a couple centimeters and run out the door. The table full of veterans stopped all conversation as they all looked back at the droid and Ratnena, after a couple seconds they all turn to each other and started another low hushed but heated exchange. Then they all looked at the doctor, the Devonian who got up and walked over to Squeaky.

"A thousand pardons Mr. Squeaky, I was sure I sent you that file earlier today. Are you sure you didn't receive it?" The Devonian asked looking all-innocent.

"Yes, unlike most of you rejects from the psycho ward I have the best filing system on this base, in fact this whole planet. It wouldn't surprise me if my files were the most organized in the entire galaxy!" While the droid was talking, it was flapping its arms around like a sick bird. Ratnena was trying hard to keep straight face, a straight sympatric face, as the droid made a spectacle of itself. The doctor just kept a smile on his face and nodded. Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see one of the two women hold up a data pad discreetly and aim it towards the droid. The woman was frowning down at the pad, tried again but judging by her face was not getting the results she wanted. The droid turned in her direction and Ratnena was sure if it had a face, it would be glaring at the table of veterans. "Oh no you don't, I am wise to that trick Ms. Dryons. I have turned off my upload receptor while I was looking for her file!"

"You're getting to smart for us Squeaky." She said not at all looking abashed at being caught red handed. The rest of the table let lose with a round of laughter.

"Of course I am I have been dealing with you rejects for 17 years now. After all these years, you think you would learn to respect my superior intellect."

"We have the highest respect for your work Squeaky." Commander Loran said through his laughter.

"You are truly prince among droids." The doctor said while snatching another plate of food.

"We love you Squeaky you know that," Major Tainer said absolutely deadpan, "come by my lab tomorrow and I love you to pieces." That comment brought on another round of laughter. The good doctor made good his escape while the droid went on a new rant. Ratnena stood there wondering if she should just go sit down or wait until he was done. Just as she made up her mind to disappear into the mess hall, Squeaky turn back to her.

"Now Ms. Bora what would you like to eat tonight?"

She pointed out several different vegetables, a bowl of noodles and asked for a salad; she added please to the end of her order hoping it would calm the droid down. She has some experience with protocol droids in the past, she stole them after all for resale on the black market, and never had encounter one that was as odd as this one was. She wondered if the Wraiths had a malfunction droid that they couldn't figure out how to fix. The droid however seemed to brighten up when she spoke to it.

"I will be happy to fix you a salad, Flight Officer Bora. If you wish, you may go sit down and I will bring your dinner out to you. And may I say that I hope that you are successful at completing training for the Wraiths, it would be nice to have some one around here that has some manners." The droid then turned his head and seem to glare at the veterans again. "Maybe all your good manners will rub off on some other people around here!"

A volley of good-natured 'boos' and 'hisses 'from the veterans accompanied that comment from Squeaky, Ratnena wondered why they were willing to put up with such a droid. Ratnena made good on her escape as the droid was loudly reminding them that his contract was due for renewal. When Ratnena passed the rookie table they were laughing also, but they had a nervous quality to their laugh. As if they were either unsure of the joke or didn't feel comfortable enough here to laugh fully. Her shy roommate, on the other hand, had a very amused smile on her face. She was sitting there, with her left hand holding her chin, clearly enjoying the whole little drama between the older Wraiths. 

"Hello, would you mind some company for dinner?" Ratnena said in a hopeful voice, she really did want to apologies for what she did to the kid earlier.

Sara lost her smile and scrunched up her face as if seriously considering the request. After a couple seconds she gave her a dubious look and asked if she did keep her clothes on to eat.

"Yes, I don't, believe it or not, go walking around in public naked or anything like that." Ratnena said, pulling out a chair and sitting down. "I also have to say 'sorry' about what I did earlier." She gave Sara a sheepish grin and told her that she should covered up some when she noticed how uncomfortable Sara was but didn't because she wanted to play a little joke. "I couldn't help myself; you looked so adorable turning purple and stammering and all that I just had to keep the joke up. I hope that I didn't offend you too much."

"Well, there was no real harm done I guess and well I guess it was kind of funny from a certain point of view." Sara said with a serious look on her face. "I guess I can accept you apology." She held her left hand out to shake.

"Thanks Sara and by the way my name is Ratnena Bora."

"Oh that should be easy to remember, you have 'rat' in your name." Sara said with a bright smile on her face. "And just to give you fair notice I am honor bound now to get back at you for your little joke." She gave Ratnena a look that she though was supposed to come out evil but instead made her want to laugh.

"Oh you a great practical joker back home?" Ratnena said, some how this innocent farm girl didn't strike her as much of a joker.

"Oh yea my friends back on Tatooine never knew when I would strike or how. It could be anything." She said with an innocent smile on her face and pride in her voice. 

Ratnena noticed that when Sara smiled she was very pretty. However, she felt bad for the kid; she was just way too innocent to survive out in the big bad galaxy. She would make it her mission to watch out for the kid, to toughen her up.

"Just before I left for boot camp I snuck a sand lizard in little Bobbie T-65 Sky hopper. Oh we all laugh about it for weeks."

Ratnena gave her a dutiful smile and laugh while thinking kids like this shouldn't leave their homes without their mommies and daddies. It took a tough mean person to survive in the world, it was a rancor eat rancor galaxy out there. Kids like Sara wouldn't even be an interesting snack to many of the male human monsters out there. Her thoughts were interrupted by Squeaky walking up carrying two trays of food. Sara's tray had a plate with a huge slab of blacken meat on it and a bowl of noodles. Ratnena felt her stomach give a slight lurch as the smell of the dead animal reached her nose. Ratnena hasn't consumed any animal flesh since she was 10 years old after her school trip to a meat processing plant. Normally she could handle the smell of cooked meat but there was something about this meat that was affecting her.

"Flight Officer Sandblaster your steak is cook exactly as you instructed, however this is your fourth helping. I hope that is enough for tonight."

"Yes thank you Squeaky." Sara said with a smile.

"Have all your steaks been that big?" Ratnena asked as Squeaky set down her tray. As he walked away, Sara nodded her head.

"Yes, I have a very high metabolism, which is probable why I'm so small for my age." She said, as she cut off the first piece, although it was black on the out side it was almost raw in the inside. Ratnena felt her stomach lurch again. "I have to eat a lot to just maintain my weight. Lucky I was able to have my bantha shipped in from home."

"Oh that is bantha meat?" Ratnena said trying to control her rebellions stomach so she could eat her food too. She dug her fork into her bowl of pasta.

"Yep, homegrown bantha. When I was a little girl I had a bantha I called Lily." She said with a voice that was full of remembrance as she sliced off another piece. Ratnena looked away hoping that by not watching she could settle her stomach down. "I used to ride her all over the farm, I taught her how to do some tricks. I used to put pretty bows in her hair after I brushed her down. Sometimes at night, I would sneak out of the house, go curl up next to her, and watch the skies while I talked to her. I loved her so much and she was my best friend. Then just before I left, my family had a big feast and neighbors from hundreds of kilometers came to our farm. They all loved Lily as much as I do."

"Sounds like you really miss her?" Ratnena said looking around trying to avoid looking at her or Sara's food. She was eating by feel alone, she hoped she wasn't being insulting to Sara but for some reason her; stomach was just rolling too much.

"Oh I do, but in a way I will always have a part of her with me." Ratnena looked her roommate and saw her staring at her food with a far away look in her green eyes and a smile that suggested her visiting her childhood memories. Ratnena felt her heart break as she watch the girl, _oh you poor sweet naive child._ Ratnena wondered how this girl ever expected to survive this kind of training let alone do the kind of missions commandos are often called on to do with that kind of mindset. "I am doing her a great honor this way and making sure she will always be with me."

"Plus I can't help myself, she just taste so darn good!"

"Uh excuse me but … did you … I mean …" Ratnena was hoping she heard wrong. Right now, her stomach was no longer rebellion but it has declared all out war! "_You're eating_ _Lilly_, _your pet_!"

"I know what you're thinking and it is ok. At first I though it was weird too." Sara said with very sympathetic eyes and reached across the table with her left hand to squeeze her right hand. "But it is only natural; I mean I had spent a lot of time riding her around the farm. Nevertheless, it's true, she not tough and gamy like you would think but she very tender and juicy. I'm talking mouth-watering juicy."

Ratnena jerked her hand back and stared down at her food trying to block out the sound of Sara's voice. That is when she noticed that something was _moving _in her bowl of noodles. 

"Rat? Are you ok there Rat, you look a little green?" Sara hands block the view of her bowl as she switched it with hers. "Opps sorry that one is mine, a great source of protein you know."

Ratnena looked up in horror at Sara as she picked up one of the white maggots and pop it into her mouth like it was a piece of candy.

"Rat?"

Ratnena didn't bother answering her as she covered her mouth. Her stomach was about to fire the finial shot in the war and she wanted to get into a refresher before she got sick all over everyone. However, as she turned to run out the door, she ran right into Major Tainer.

Tahiri was tired but still felt somewhat good. Her practical joke, for the most part, went off very well. Even Face and Kell had told her that they were impressed with her. They must have told her a hundred times how they would have never expected her, of all people, to pull a stunt like that, as they supervised her cleaning the mess hall with a toothbrush Squeaky retrieved from storage.

"That was a good joke Tahiri; inventive, original, and executed flawlessly, exactly what we would expect from a Wraith. Oh by the way you missed a spot."

The look on Ratnena's face after she got sick on Major Tainer was priceless; she wished she had a holo-photo of it. However, she did feel guilty about the whole joke for a couple reasons. First, it was kind of mean, Ratnena did try to make up for her earlier joke and she should let it drop. Nevertheless, she would have never allowed Anakin to get away with a practical joke without getting even so she was honor bound to get Ratnena. The second reason was she did misuse the Force to help tweak her stomach a bit and to make her believe that the candy worm she put in the bowl was moving on its own power. She felt guilty for using the Force even that much and Master Jade-Skywalker had once told her '_If you do something and later feel bad about it, then you did the wrong thing._'

Therefore, Tahiri would have to make it up to Ratnena and apologies to her without getting into too much details.

When she walked into the room the desk light was on, allowing her enough light to see by, and saw Ratnena facing her wall with the covers wrapped tightly around her. Tahiri tried to walk over to her bunk quietly.

"They finally let you go?" Ratnena asked not moving.

"Yea," Tahiri said as she sat down to remove her footwear. "Sorry I though I quiet enough to not wake you up."

"I wasn't asleep really." She said, "I been laying here thinking about what you did to me."

"Listen," Tahiri said wincing feeling her guilt come flooding back, "I just wanted …"

"I mean that was so mean of you, I can' believe you would ever do a dirty trick like that" She twisted around so she could look at Tahiri over her shoulder; Tahiri could see a huge bright smile on her face. "You really got me good!"

"You're not mad at me or anything?"

"Naw, I was at first but then I had time to think about it and I had to laugh myself." She twisted her body around so she faced her, still covered by her bed sheets. "I had you pegged for this naïve farm kid who was too sweet and innocent to pull such a mean and disgusting trick. I definably underestimated you."

"I'm full of surprises." Tahiri said giving her a smile back, "I was worried that you would be mad and hate me."

"Nope, but I'm going to have to keep a close eye on you from on now."

"Astro, I do want to be your friend."

"Friends, shall we shake on it?"

"You decent?" Tahiri asked looking at her dubiously.

"Of course."

"Ok let's shake." Tahiri said getting up and walking over to Ratnena. When Ratnena pulled back the covers to get up Tahiri felt her face flush red and covered her eyes. "Rat! I thought you said you were decent."

"I'm decent ask anyone who knows me. Everyone always tells me I'm a decent caring person." She said, sounding slightly confused, as if she didn't understand Tahiri.

"I meant are you dressed!" She said trying hard not to laugh, "Could you cover your self."

"Oh is that what you meant? Hold on." After a couple seconds, she told Tahiri she could open her eyes. When Tahiri did open her eyes, she saw Ratnena standing in front of her, still naked. "It is the latest thing, a personal clocking device." She said spinning around as if she was in a fashion show. "Do you think it makes me look fat?"

Tahiri couldn't help herself, she fell back on her bunk, holding her gut and laughing as hard as she had in years. _It is going to be an interesting six months!"_


	4. Chapter 4

Garik 'Face' Lorain stood in front of 100 potential Wraiths in the main briefing room. After four days, the preliminary screening process was completed. It had actually taken weeks to get this far in the process. Kell and he had spent weeks going through the applications selecting which personal they wanted with the right piloting skills. Being a pilot was not necessarily a positive, if that pilot had no useful secondary skills to fall back on. In some cases, such as with Ratnena Bora, he was willing to overlook poor piloting skills in the light of other talents. Face figured that they could always train up to a skill that would allow them to learn other classes of ship. During the long history of the Wraiths had shown being a pilot was fundamental to the missions that they often found themselves engaged in. Many times, they drop in with no other support and must use their own skills to get them home safely. In many ways it was a blessing since, unlike other commandos units or intelligent teams, the Wraiths did not need a huge support structure to equip them for a mission. The numbers of leaks are reduce since the numbers of outsiders that are privileged to their operation plans were fewer, this in turn increased the odds of the target not being aware of their actions and setting up traps or other nasty surprises for them. 

Now however, the biggest weakness in the Wraith group was glaring at them as brightly as a supernova, they had no one waiting in the wings to take over for them. They, the Command staff of the Wraiths, are getting too old to keep doing these kinds of missions. They had to get new personal but had no pool of personal to draw from. Since they had been in service back during the battles with Warlord Zsinj, they only had small replacements, one or two here and there, with the rest helping in the break-in process. Now they had only six months to find at least twelve to twenty four replacements to train them to their standards. It was a challenge all right but one they can accomplish.

"I would like to thank you all for your interest in become an elite of the elites. You are about to face challenges unlike any you have faced before." As he talked, he scanned the room looking at the faces of humans, Bothans, Mon Calamari, Twi'lek, and other species representing the Galactic Alliance. Some had apprehension on their faces, some looked cocky, some curiosity, and a few had a very bore looks. A couple of the bored looks came from Ratnena and Tahiri. Why Tahiri was bored was easy to figure out. She had been here for over a month and she had been training hard up until the rest showed up four days ago. Since then she had been doing easy duty with the rest of them, except for the cleaning duty as punishment, and it was driving her nuts. Ratnena was gladly helping her to go insane, for the past four days they both had been pulling pranks on each other; Face could not wait to see what they will come up with once they start on the others. "I know you all are anxious to begin the training but we have a little surprise for you. Since we will be isolated out here in the middle of nowhere, the command staff and I have decided to give you one last night of relaxation. We arranged to have shuttles transport you to the main base and back starting at 0900 up until 0100. You are free to go to the main base and do whatever you please. However, curfew is 0130; we will expect you to be back here by then. If you don't return at 0130, you will be drop, no ifs or buts." Again, he scanned the room, most of the faces out there look up with excitement, a few looked wondering and Tahiri and Ratnena looked at him with undisguised suspicion. They both seem to slump down in their seats. "Also you don't have to worry about waking up at 0430, as we have the last few days. I will give you my word that you will not be awakening at 0430. It is now 0756; you are all off duty until 0130. Go ahead and have fun."

Ratnena sat quietly as the rest of the room filed out; everyone was talking about their plans for their surprise leave. She wasn't sure if it was Commander Loran's body language, the stuff she read from the files that she sliced into or that wicked smile the major gave them as the commander pointed out that they wouldn't be woke up at their normal time; but something told her they were being setup. She did not know how but she just knew that in some way the command staff was testing them. Of course, she could just be paranoid like she normally was. She leaned over her chair, looked at Sara, and saw that she was also staring at them as if to figure out what they were up too.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Ratnena asked.

Sara tilted her head, raised an eyebrow and gave her a smirk.

"Probably not, the only thing you think about is mating."

"Not that," she said giving the younger woman a backhanded slap on the shoulder, "I wondering if they are setting us up for something."

"Oh that," Sara said losing all cheer from her face as she slumped back further in her seat, "yea, we're being setup. For what and how they are going to do whatever they are going to do, I do not know. Commander Loran was stressing that last part for a reason and Major Tainer was a little too happy for my taste."

"That is my read on this too. Blaster, I would have liked to go for one last night of drinking."

"You could still go, Rat. I'm sure you could get away with one night of drinking, if that is what you really want to do." Sara sounded somewhat strange when she said that as if she was wondering about her as well.

Ratnena really did want to go, it has been months since she had a chance to go out and get drunk, have fun and dance. She might have jumped up and headed out to the landing field now if she did not keep remembering her parents faces on that first piece of mail she got from them while she was awaiting for her trail. It broke her heart seeing the anguish and pain on their faces as they reassured her that they still loved her and supported her. They had been so proud of her when she joined the military, to try to make something out of her life, instead of going to jail again. When she graduated from flight school, her parents flew out to her base to watch her get her wings. Her father had a picture taken of the three of them and when he got back to his shop, he had the picture hanging where everyone who walked in or by could see it. Jar, her oldest brother, wrote later that her dad would tell everyone who asked about that picture that it was a picture of his 'little ace', the next greatest pilot in history. This was her last chance at making them proud of her again, she had to grow up and stop indulging every impulse she has.

"No, I had better not." She said getting up and following the last group out. She was aware that Commander Loran and Major Tainer were watching everyone leaving and talking in low tones. "I can always find something to do around here. Are you going to go out?" She turned to her left knowing that Sara would be right in step with her. Ratnena had notice earlier that when ever she walked with Sara, she would be on her left side. She gave Sara a smile full of merriment and mischief. "You could always meet some cute guy there; you guys could drink, dance and well you know."

"I swear I'm going to make it my personal quest to get you to go longer then five minutes without thinking about guys!" Sara said shooting her a look of strained and obvious fake scorn. "I rather not go alone and anyways I don't drink …"

"What you never drank?"

"I don't drink, never had and …"

"Not even when you were younger, you know you and your friends sneaking out some wine or something from your parents' supplies while they were out of the house."

"Of course not Rat! That would be wrong …"

"Gee wiz what the heck did you do for fun anyways, have study groups?"

"Actually yea," Sara said with a look of bafflement that Ratnena could not tell if it was real or not. "There is not a whole lot to do except work, study, do some flying to and from school. We would all get together sometimes but that was mostly to study or hanging out."

"Oh shi…," Ratnena said with look of horror on her face, "sound like a great place to live."

"Why do you think we spent all that time studying? We wanted to get as far away from Tatooine as possible." Sara said smiling.

"Now that is the first smart thing I have heard you say yet!" Ratnena said laughing too.

"Gee thank." Sara said trying hard to look insulted but failing. "Anyways I think I'm going to go fly some simulators exercises."

"You are such the life of the party," Ratnena said laughing still, "I think I'm going to grab Little Brother, he knows how to play dejarik and other games. He will be a challenge to play against unlike some people are." Ratnena and Sara walked through the thong of people to get to their room. It seemed everyone else was rushing around trying to get to the landing field before the shuttles were full. Again, Ratnena felt a longing to go out and drown herself in whatever alcohol the officer club was serving or whatever supply she could get a hold of from less official sources When they walked into their room they found Little Brother plugged in to the base net, Ratnena always caught him in the base computer system. She often wondered if he was just lonely or if he was a slicer like her. When he saw them, he let out a series of beeps and whistles, Ratnena grab the data pad off her desk to see what he had said.

WE HAVE BEEN GRANTED LEAVE FOR THE NEXT 17.5 HOURS, ARE WE GOING TO THE MAIN BASE?

Ratnena always found it funny how Little Brother always included himself in whatever off duty activities they did. 

"Nope, we are going to stay here. I was hoping you would like to play some games with me." Ratnena said she looked over at Sara, who was digging out her flight equipment for the simulation runs. "Unless you sure you don't want to go?"

"Yea, I'm sure."

"I mean if you really want to go …"

"Rat," Sara said from under her bunk, "if you want to go out, you can, but I really don't want to go. What would I do anyways? Watching you get drunk doesn't sound like much fun to me."

"Well you don't have to watch me; you are old enough to drink."

"I don't drink remember." She said with a smirk as she popped her head up from the storage compartment. She sat down on her bunk with her gear and faced Ratnena. "Besides both of us agree that they are planning something nasty for tomorrow, I think we will be better off sober and rested for the morning."

"Yea, I guess you're right." Ratnena said unenthusiastic.

"Tell you what Rat, when we both graduate I let you buy me my first drink. How does that sound?"

"Just one drink, I mean if we are going to celebrate we should have at least ten each, to make it proper and all."

"Rat no! Just one should do it." She said shaking her head.

"How about I buy us eight drinks each?"

"I'm not listening anymore." Sara said getting up and heading out the door.

"Oh come on don't you trust me?"

"You have the nerve to ask me that after what you did to me yesterday morning?" Sara said glaring at her, which would have been more effective if she was not laughing while she was glaring. "I'll see you two later; keep her out of trouble Little Brother."

Kell finished hooking up the last of the noise bomb to the master control switch. All around the base the Wraiths and him had placed noise bombs, low yield grenades, smoke bombs, light shows and other loud and confusing devices to simulate an attack on the base. Face had suggested setting up this simulation while most of the recruits were on leave, so they could give them their first test. They wanted to see how everyone handled the surprise after spending the night parting and getting almost no sleep. Everyone but two had left the base this morning and were straggling back in, many were obviously drunk from parting too hard. As for the two who had not left the base, Tahiri and Ratnena, they and Little Brother spent much of their time in the lounge area. Tahiri did venture out to her X-wing and the shooting range to practice her sniping skill, but she did not observe any of their work. Ratnena had decided to use Little Brother as an excuse to play some games on the holo board. When Kell had asked Tahiri why she and Ratnena did not leave with the rest, she just gave him a look as if he was talking Huttonise.

"Yea right, like I trust you enough to believe you guys _don't_ have some trick up your sleeves for us."

Kell had Piggy, who was sitting in on some of Little Brother and Ratnena's games, asked her the same question. He said she just shrugged her shoulders and made a comment about parting _after_ she had proven to her family that she was not a screw up. Kell was glad to hear that she was well motivated about doing her training; he hoped for her sake that she stays motivated. Not many get the second chance at life, those who do should remember how lucky their actually were.

The dark cloud that she was under and from what he knew about her past reminds him of another pilot out to prove something. Years ago, when he first joined the Wraiths he was motivated also. His motivation was to repair his family name after Wes Janson, the second-in-command of the Wraiths, shot down his father, during the early days of the Rebellion. Nevertheless, somewhere along the way he found something even more important to keep himself motivated, his fellow teammates and especially his future wife Tyria. He hoped that somehow Ratnena would be able to see past her immediate goal of redeeming her own name and life or at least see the easiest and quickest way would be to keep her teammates lives safe. The fact that she stayed here and did not go to the main base with the other was a good sign; he hoped it was because of Tahiri's influence.

Another reason he hoped that she would get her act together for the long haul was the small fact that she was potentially the second most dangerous person on the base, right behind Tahiri. At least he now knew how Wes must have felt when he found out whom Kell was and what his hobbies were. He would never admit to anyone outside the Wraiths but she worried him more then anyone else on the base, Tahiri included. Tahiri would at least give you some notice before she lost control, it probably would not do any good but it did help him sleep at night. Ratnena, on the other hand, seemed to be the kind that would whisper sweet nothings in your ear while she gutted you. Ratnena's criminal record had started out as simple assaults and petty thief, although her and her gang never did steal much of value, her record of assaults were growing more and more deadly. Moreover, her last assault against her old squadron, while light on the bloodshed, was the scariest of them all. She had 'fixed' seven X-wings and reprogrammed their droids in less then 6 hours. Drayson and Piggy figured it would have taken at least a week to come up with the additional programming the droids and another week to get them to accept the new orders. Kell knew from experience that to monkey around with the X-wings like that he could do it in 6 hours, per ship. She had admitted, during her trail, to reprogramming one of the R2 units and having it help reprogram the rest. Then they all worked on the X-wings together, it reminded him of the trick that Lara Notsil pulled on Warlord Zsinj, but it took her weeks to accomplish the same feat.

Piggy had played dejarik against her earlier and lost all three times. He had reported that she was quite a ruthless player, setting up traps that he did not see until it was too late.

"While many players tend to play five or six moves ahead in the game, she seemed to almost seem to play ten moves in the future." Piggy had stated when Kell had asked him.

Why this super intelligence did not follow her into the cockpit was something none of them understood. Elessar had a idea that the stress in combat or potential combat caused her to over compensate and she was trying to absorb too much information too quickly and that caused her to 'freeze up', once she learned to slow down her thinking and calm herself she should be a excellent pilot.

"All set there Explosion Boy?" A voice said from behind him, dragging him away from his thoughts.

He turned and saw Face, Poster Boy; Piggy, Droid Boy; Drayson, Circuitry Girl; Shalla Nelprin, Warrior Girl; Elessar, Charm Boy; Baljos, Science Boy; and Squeaky, a.k.a. Junk Pile; walking into the control room. All of them were dressed in combat suits that offered both comfort and durability and many pockets to carry all the little items they will need today and every day for the next six months.

"Oh Exulted One," Kell said giving him a wicked smile and a mocking bow, "your extremely talented, extremely intelligent, outstandingly hansom, the king of the whit, and humble servant awaits your inferior presents to dazzle you with my stunning intellect."

"He is definably losing it," Elessar said, "good thing he is retiring soon."

Among the laugher, he heard a distinct sound of hollowness in their cheer. Many of them would be leaving the service after the new Wraiths were operational. Elessar was going to go home and set up a private practice, Baljos was going back to Coruscant as a civilian working to repair the damage the Yuuzhan Vong had done to the planet. Drayson was going to go back to Denon to teach at the academy, as was Shalla; she was going to be in charge of the self-defense department. Piggy was going to a private college to head their mathematic department. Kell was going to travel with his wife and son as they explored the galaxy as a Mother/son Jedi team. Squeaky was going to stay with the Wraiths, as much as he complains about them; they all knew that he secretly loved being a Wraith. They often used him on mission when needed and he has proven his worth to them repeatedly. Kell knew that no other unit would ever use him or treat him as 'one of the team', that was the biggest reason he stuck around them as long as he had. As for Face, Kell's long time friend and commanding officer, well they all knew why he was staying. 

"Well as long as we are ready, I'll show a little mercy on his poor deluded mind." Face said laughing, "What is the body count so far?"

"Out of the 98 who left the base this morning, so far 83 has returned before the 0130 dead line." Shalla said looking at her pad. "Six are in the brig for disorderly conduct and fighting, three are in the hospital recovering from injuries that they received from the disorderly conduct that the other six somehow avoided. One is in the orbital defense platform brig, he 'borrowed' a shuttle earlier today. His story is you gave him ultra-high secret mission to take the assault shuttle and try to sell it to a know group of smugglers. I set the record straight on that lie. Two were involved in a shoot out with the Military Police when they found them in a supply shack 'gathering supplies' as per your orders."

"My, my I have been busy issuing orders haven't I?"

"The last three are unknowns right now."

"Well they are all scrubbed, Squeaky have a couple service droids pack up their things and forward them to where ever they end up."

"If I must."

"You must Junk Pile," Face said looking over the set up that Kell had rigged into the command council, "but first at 0230, I need you to set off the fire works while the rest of us make sure they find their way to the parade ground."

Face stood down the hall from where Tahiri and Ratnena slept, watching the minutes click away on his clock. He chose this hallway for two reasons; one was to make sure that Tahiri did not try to cheat on the uniform of the day. He was sure that she would go along with it no matter how much she would hate it. The second reason was this hallway was the closets to the entryway to the parade grounds; he wanted to observe everyone as they left the building, to see who was straggling, who was able to make it and who was too drunk to exercise. He would not necessarily disqualify anyone for being hung over but he did not want some one too drunk to hurt himself or herself or others today. At 0230 on the dot Squeaky set off all the explosions, it sounded as if the entire Yuuzhan Vong fleet was attacking. To add to the noise and confusion Squeaky's voice came over the intercom.

**"ATTENTION ALL PERSONAL ATTENTION, THIS IS A DRILL. YOU ARE TO ASSEMBLE ON THE MAIN PARADE GROUND IN 15 MINUTES IN THE APPROVED UNIFORM OF THE DAY. THIS A DRILL YOU ARE TO ASSEMBLE ON THE MAIN PARADE GROUND IN 14 MINUTES AND 50 SECONDS."**

Tahiri and Ratnena were the first out on the parade ground in front of the Wraith building. Judging the way most of the other recruits were moving it would be a long, hard day for most. They definably had a great time back at the main base and now they were going to pay for it, most look like they were still intoxicated as they stumbled out of the building with the Wraiths yelling and pushing them along. Once they got out to the parade grounds, they had to line up four a breast in columns of five and standing at attention. Looking down at her clothes, she had a feeling that they were not the only ones who will be having a long hard day of suffering ahead of them.

"I'm going to get you for this Rat." Tahiri said quietly to her friend. Well as quietly as she could over the sounds of explosions and sirens

"I had nothing to do with this Sara, I wish I had."

Tahiri, even though she was not using the Force, could feel her friend's amusement by the choice of the 'uniform of the day'. It consisted of a sleeveless undershirt, which showed of her shoulders and arms, short pants, which showed off her legs up to the mid-point of her thighs, socks and running footwear. _I might as well be naked!_ She thought to herself as she watched Commander Loran and the rest walk up and down the formations yelling and screaming at everyone and no one. A few of the recruits got sick on themselves, Tahiri figure they had too much to drink earlier.

"By the way, thank you." Ratnena said to Tahiri.

"For what, standing out here practically naked?"

"For being strong enough to stay home last night, Sara, if you had gone so would I and we be like them now instead of rested and ready."

Tahiri smiled and was about to make a comment when Major Drayson chose that moment to walk by and talk, scream really, at her and her group. After that, there was not much time to speak or even think; from that day on, they went through what the recruits fondly or not so fondly referred to as 'Hell Month'.


	5. Chapter 5

"Where do you store all that food anyways, the Black Bantha?"

Tahiri looked up from her dinner to see Jorge High and Hal Starred standing across the table from her. They were two males who did not take subtle hints, not so subtle hints and out right refusal by either Tahiri or Ratnena to be anything but friends. Ever since they finished the first week of 'Hell Month', they both went out of their way to talk to either one of them or eat with them. The first couple of weeks it was annoying but tolerable but not after 3 months, now she had to clamp down on her growing disgust when she saw them. In addition, ever since Commander Loran and Major Tainer had figured it out that Hal and Jorge were sweet on the two girls, they went out of their way to team them up. Sometimes she wondered if those two were plants to test Tahiri's patients with the annoying side of people, but she did not really believe that, even Major Tainer would not be so cruel as to do that. Besides why would they do it to Rat as well? Hal was her latch on; he seemed determined to win her heart. Tahiri guess he was not too bad looking; he was a reasonable adequate pilot, even if she or Rat always shot him down, and a competent officer but he seemed to be too weak. She knew it was wrong and unfair to Hal but she could not help it; she kept comparing him to Anakin Solo. Where Anakin was strong, self assure and a leader; Hal was not. Where Anakin could make you believe he was right and that he always knew the right answer by the way he talked and carried himself; Hal did not. The only thing that Hal had in common with Anakin was they were dark hair, blue eyes and the same age.

"Bend over Flight Officer Starred and I'll show you." She said in her frostiest Yuuzhan Vong tone. Both men laugh as if she made a joke, totally ignoring her tone in her voice.

"Not only are you cute Sara but you have a great sense of humor." Hal said sitting down across from her. Tahiri said a silent prayer to Yum-Shuno for patients to deal with these two, at least until the end of training. She was a Jedi after all and needed to be calm at all times and deal with a whole range of beings. In addition, as a Jedi, no matter how satisfying it would be to sacrifice these two to the great Yum-Yammka, she knew it would be the first step down the long and twisted path of the dark side. Even thinking about doing it would be wrong, no matter how enjoyable it was. Moreover, Yum-Yammka would be insulted to receive these two and she had enough troubles in her life without insulting the Slayer. _Stop that! The gods do not exist!_ She silently reminder herself, even if it was so hard for her to denied their existence, she help disprove their existence but privately she often wonder if she was not mistaken.

"You ok Sara." Hal said looking at her.

"Uh?" She forgot that they had even been there for one enjoyable second. "Yes, I was just lost in though." Then to find out if it would help her get rid of them she added, "I'm sure you know what that is like Flight Officer Starred, since it would be such unfamiliar territory to you."

Both men laugh as if it was the funniest thing they ever heard, Tahiri gave a silent sigh, _I should know better._

"So how did you do on the firing range today, my sweet?"

Tahiri could feel her left hand tighten around her knife; it was a steak knife and very sharp steak knife. She could almost see herself plunging it in his skinny little neck .

_Stop this now Tahiri! You are a Jedi Knight, regardless of you heritage! Jedi Knights should not entertain such thoughts no matter how enjoyable they are and how badly he needs it! _She reminded herself as she forced her hand to relax and put the knife down on the table. The idiot sat there, eating his food, looking at her while waiting for her response totally missing the fact how close he is to getting his guts ripped out of him. _Tahiri, you must stop this thinking right now! Do you want to end up like Anakin's vision of you? Do you want to destroy all he died for, do you? _

"Flight Officer Starred, I have asked you before and I will ask you again _not_ to call me '_my sweet'_. My name is Flight Officer Sandblaster; please address me in that fashion. Not 'Sara', not 'my sweet' or any other name you can think of but Flight Officer Sandblaster. I'm not nor will I ever be 'your sweet'!" She said silently counting down from 100 in Yuuzhan Vong.

"Oh I know I just like the sound of it besides sooner or later you realize that I'm right about us being perfect for each other and then you won't be able to hear me say enough." He answered smugly.

"I am please to disappoint you then because Hoth will warm up before that happens, Tatooine will grow liquid oceans before I look at you in any other way then contempt that I feel for you now." She closed her eyes her eyes and began counting in Yuuzhan Vong and basic while mentally reviewing every technique to relax that she knew. "If you want to be friends, I am willing to try that however I am demanding that you stop this pointless mating ritual."

"Ah you say that now but soon ." he trailed off with a wink and smug smile. A smile she wished she could remove, with her light saber and very slowly.

"No I will not, however I will say now and in the future that you are the kind of man I find severely lacking satisfactoriness in both skills and the superficial, murky world of physical attractiveness. I have been requesting that you limit your conversation in scope and nature to what is appropriate, which you have ignored on repeated occasions. That shows me that you have no respect for my feeling and needs which is not a good bias in which to build either a friendship or a romantic interest, which I will point out again is not an option. I fail to see why you persist in this course of action."

"My, my," Jorge said as he feed his fat face, "she cute, funny and intelligent. You sure know how to pick them."

"I have always had great taste." Hal said, his eyes staring into Tahiri's, "And Sara just to give you fair warning there are thousands of women out there who would give anything to be seen with me. Heck, back home girls would get into fights over who got to stand closer to me."

"Then please go find one of those vacuum brains to shower your allege charm on and stop bothering me."

"But I want you Sara; you are a challenge unlike any I have faced before. You have brains, body, and skills that I admire, respect, and would make us the perfect couple. We would be the envy of everyone!"

"No."

"Ah they all say that at first but sooner or later they learn to appreciate what I have to offer. No woman has ever resisted my charm for long."

"I find that to be a statistically implausibly, I'm sure some women have rejected your so called charm if by suicide if not by any other means."

Again, both men howled as if she was the funniest person to walk the galaxy. She wondered, not for the first time, if they thought that was funny how they ever achieve the brainpower to get their shoes on the correct foot let alone fly an X-wing. She had to close her eyes again, concentrate on her breathing exercises, and started counting down from 1000 in both basic and Yuuzhan Vong. The longer this conversation was lasting the madder she was getting.

"You cannot resist forever and I do get what I want Sara, I always do." he said softly. That is when he made his big mistake.

In hindsight she knew he could have never known what he did was wrong, even if he did know about her Domain. In truth few non-Yuuzhan Vong would know about some of the quarks of the Kwaad Domain and their reaction to anyone violating their taboos. In truth if he had been Yuuzhan Vong he would have never done what he did or pushed thing as far as he had. They would have a ritual battle long ago; if he had lost, he would have stay away on the penalty of dishonorable death. However, he was not Yuuzhan Vong he was a human, a very stupid human. In hindsight if she had though about what she was doing, she would have never done what she had done. Nevertheless, she was not thinking she was just reacting to an impulse that he triggered in her. She was already feeling a degree of hostility towards him due to his refusal to stop trying to get her to 'date' him. Therefore, when he pulled his boneheaded stunt all she felt was 'dirty', she had a need to cleanse herself. To help in the cleansing she had to make him suffer a bit. Yep in hindsight, she would think later, if she had not been so angry she would have never done what she did.

He had reach across the table and ran his fingers through her hair.

With her eyes still close, she reached out with her right hand moving as quickly as an amphistaff grabbed the offending wrist. Puling back as hard and as quickly as she could, she slammed his body against the table. She heard the sound of the wind leaving his body. She then twisted the offending wrist up and to her left causing his whole body to twist to his left; this action caused his head to slam into the tabletop. With her left hand, she reached for the steak knife and slammed it down to the hilt into the steel tabletop inches from his face. 

__

"What do you think ." Hal started to say.

__

Then she opened her eyes and was gratified to see the anger and color leaving his face at the speed of light. In his eyes, she could see the fear growing in him.

_Fear,_ she though to herself,_ delicious fear, disrespect a Yuuzhan Vong Jeedai wills you! _

She could feel a small smile creep across her face and rewarded by him beginning to shaking and beads of sweat forming on his forehead. She began to imagine all the pain she will cause this infidel, the hours of screams he would produce. _It will be a glorious song for the gods to hear,_ she thought, _and unlike the rest of her kind, she could make his song even more glorious. Why with the Force ._

Tahiri jerked back as if she had a live, high voltage wire touch her skin. She stared in horror at Hal lying there on the table, at the knowledge of how close she had come to using the Dark Side against him. After she let him go, he scooted back away from the table, rubbing his left wrist and staring at her as if he expects another attack. Jorge and the rest of the room were all standing, watching the events but unsure what to do about it. She slowly began to walk back towards the door, keeping a weary eye on everyone in the mess hall. She could see Squeaky talking into a comm link, but that did not matter anymore, nothing did anymore; she failed. The door behind her opened and Major Tainer ran in with his pistol drawn and ready. She turns and looked at him, all the energy left her and she hung her head in shame.

Face was enjoying his flying time. It was so rare for him and Vape, his R2 unit, to take the old X-wing out and just fly. No mission, no deadline to deal with, no life or death decisions which the entire fate of the Galactic Alliance had hinged on. It was just Vape and the sky and he; they were not doing any trick flying or anything just watching the landscape scream under him.

"Hang on Vape."

He sent his X-wing in a corkscrew maneuver while never changing his attitude, Vape sitting in his couple let loose an electronic equivalent of a 'Yippy!' Face also let out a yell enjoying the freedom of it all.

The last time he had been here, it was shortly after the Fall of Coruscant, when the future of the galaxy was seriously in doubt, the New Republic was in shambles and the fate of friends and loved ones were unknown. At that time, he was too busy to admire the beauty of Borleais or to take time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Politicians were fighting over who has the first shot to grovel before the perceived new leaders of the galaxy, whole fleets running to their home world to cower. People huddled in dark corners wondering who would be able to protect them; the fleets could not stop them, the Jedi were unable to stop them. Face was ashamed to admit, even if it was only to himself, that as he fled the ruins of Coruscant, he had thought that nothing could stop the Yuuzhan Vong.

Face shook his head as he leveled out his fighter and had a small smile on his face as he remember that day he was proven wrong. Thinking back, he should known there was one leader who could stop the Yuuzhan Vong. That man was Wedge Antilles.

General Wedge Antilles, the greatest military leader he has ever had the pleasure of serving under and unarguable the greatest leader in the New Republic. Wedge Antilles, the man who took the shattering remains of the New Republic fleet and hurt the Yuuzhan Vong. He gave everyone who served with him at Borleais the hope and knowledge that the Yuuzhan Vong was beatable, could be defeated. His actions allowed the remains of the other fleets to pull themselves together, to allow the Senate times to reform, to give the people of the New Republic hope that the war is winnable. Sure, the data text will say the Battle to Reclaim Coruscant won the war. That it was Zonama Sekot and the Jedi who delivered the finial-killing blow to the Yuuzhan Vong. None of that would have been possible without Wedge's astonishing stand against all odds here at Borleais. Face knew and respected Wedge since he formed the Wraith Squadron years ago and after his actions after the Fall of Coruscant; well if Wedge wanted Face and the Wraiths to battle their way to the 9th level of Hell for a piece of brimstone. He would not even question it and whatever was in charge there had better just get out of the way.

**_"Poster Boy?"_**

"Yea Circuit girl?" He said wondering what had gone wrong now. He heard a low moan from Vape behind him; he must have figured fun time was over too.

**_"I think you may want to get back here."_**

"Why, what is wrong?"

**_"Your special project almost went critical, Explosion Boy wants you to exam what went wrong and find out if you want to dismantle it."_**

Face grimaced Tahiri must had lost control. He figured it was not too sever since there was no general alert and Kell has not taken any steps yet. However, he knew that he had better get back to base.

"Roger on my way."

Kell was waiting for him as he landed his X-wing in the hanger. As Face stripped out of his flight suit Kell briefed him on what happened in the mess hall.

"How badly is Starred hurt?"

"His oversize ego is bruised as well as his wrist."

"Don't sound like she used the Force."

"Agree if she had used the Force there probably would not have been enough of him left to question."

"What is his story?"

"He claims that he was just making a gesture of affection when she went nuts and attacked him. He also says that the only reason he was not more injured was his ability to move out of the way before she stabbed him. His friend of course backs up the story all the way. Ratnena told me that both Sara and her do not want anything to do with either one. No one else, including Squeaky, saw what had gone on only the results. Starred was pale and near tears when I arrived."

"What do you think happened?"

"Personally," the big man said with a shrug as he followed Face out of the hanger, "Starred made himself unwelcome and Sara defended herself. She could stab him, shredded him in to mush, and twisted his mind inside out. Remember Coruscant?"

Face did and it was not a pleasant memory either, Lord Nynex was a medically enhanced Jedi with superhuman strength and attitude. Luke, Mara, and Tahiri nearly died trying to stop him. He could control anyone and have him or her do his bidding no matter the cost. It was during that mission Face started thinking about recruiting Tahiri and it showed him the danger of having her on his team. 

"Where is Mr. Wonderful?"

"Elassar has him in medical bay keeping a eye on him."

"Ok go get him and have him wait in my office. I want to go talk to Tahiri first."

"You should have stab him in the head, you couldn't have damaged anything." Ratnena said pacing the room. Little Brother and Ratnena has been trying to cheer her up since she was order to her room to wait for Face to come back from flying his X-wing. She was wondering how long it would take for her and Little Brother to fly back to Zonama Sekot. Oh she had never seen Major Tainer as mad as he was when he walked, ran more like it, in to the mess hall. She knew she was finished, there was no way Face and Kell could ever justified keeping her around after she attacked a fellow officer.

DO NOT WORRY FLIGHT OFFICER SANDBLASTER; YOU WERE ONLY DEFENDING YOUR SELF. Little Brother beeped and whistled out.

"That is right," Ratnena, said after reading the translation, "that swamp rat has been harassing you for weeks now. Besides he had no right to touch you anywhere!"

Tahiri did not answer either one of them; she was lying on her bunk staring at the ceiling wishing she could explain to Ratnena why what she did was so wrong. However, until either they graduated or she was removing from training, she had to keep her Jedi powers secret.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Ratnena asked sitting down next to Tahiri. She looked both mad and worried, the mad part was for what happened to Tahiri and the worry part for what was about to happen. It was touching to Tahiri to know Rat and her had become very close friends in such a short time.

"There is not much to say, I screwed up."

"Uh-uh you did not screw up, he is lucky he did not try that with me! I would have stabbed him!" Ratnena suddenly stood up, "Maybe I should go talk to him!"

Even when she was not trying, certain people around her just broadcasted their feeling too loudly for her to ignore. Right now Ratnena smelled blood. Tahiri jumped up and beat her to the door.

"Oh no you don't!" Tahiri said blocking the door.

"What, I was just going to talk some sense into that gundurk!"

"Yea I know the routine Rat, you talk and he bleeds." Tahiri said giving Ratnena her best Jedi stare. Ratnena squirmed under that stare and Tahiri knew she had her. "Thank you, but please don't get your self kicked out of here along with me."

"You are not going to get kicked out." Ratnena said but even she did not sound, as if she believes it either, "You are better at this stuff then anyone else on the base. They would be fools to let you go."

"Should I remind you what happened the last time I tried to slice into the base computers?" Tahiri said giving Ratnena a small smile.

"It took only three days for us to bring the computers back up." Ratnena said waving away her objection, "but everything else, Sara you are like at the top. You are better then I am or that jerk. You have a natural ability to this spy stuff." Ratnena turned away from Tahiri and sat down on her bunk. Her poster was one of defeat and sadness. "Plus kid you're my friend and you know, I had never been good at making friends"

"Thanks Rat," Tahiri said sitting down next to her and giving her a very brief hug, "just for the record I have never been all that good at making friends either. Most of my friends had died during the war."

"I usually end up trying to kill mine." Ratnena said with a humorless smile, " Look Sara we have to fight this. The Wraiths need you I need you here. Without you, here I just end up with a bunch of no humor geeks. Come on some of these guys here have a sense of humor like a Wookie with a rash. They are as much fun as a bunch of Jedi at a High Day celebration! And the Jedi would not know how to have a fun party if you drew a them a map!"

"Oh come on I sure there maybe a Jedi or two who know how to have fun." Tahiri said laughing inside and out, the irony had not escaped her notice. "They can't all be that bad."

"I heard their idea of fun is sitting around wondering if trees sing. I mean really could you see any of them pulling pranks like we pull."

"Well ." Tahiri started but was cut off by the door chime going off. Little Brother rolled over and opened it; he was making his 'giggling' sound also no doubt found the situation funny too. Outside was Commander Loran, looking grim. 

"Little Brother and Flight Officer Bora could you excuse us for a minute."


	6. Chapter 6

"Sir, a moment of your time pleases." Ratnena said standing up from her bunk. Tahiri remained sitting on the bunk trying hard to keep her face neutral.

"Ratnena, please I need to talk to Sara alone. Would you and Little Brother please go to the lounge?" Face said gently but firmly. He could see her trying to come back with a response but in the end she turned back to Tahiri and told her not to worry. Little Brother beeped something also as they walked out the door. After they left, he activated the privacy lock and sat down at Tahiri's desk. "Ok, is this room clean?"

"Yes, Little Brother checks it about 5 times a day. He also checks it anytime anyone but Rat and I are in here."

"Good then we can be open and honest with each other Tahiri. Now you want to explain to me why I should not call Luke up and have him haul your butt to back to Zonama Sekot."

He saw her flitch, as if he physically slapped her when he said Zonama Sekot, for some reason going back there filled her with dread. Even after 3 month of hard training and the month she spent here before that, he knew nothing else in the Universe seems to affect her as badly as that threat did even if he couldn't figure out why.

"I have no excuse, sir."

"Uh-uh, that is not going to fly with me Tahiri. I am not going to let you get away with that 'throw yourself on the mercy' crap. I want to know why you scared Starred so badly he had to wash his pants out."

"Commander I have no ."

"Tahiri first this is off the record and there is no need to be formal." Face said interrupting her. "It has to be if I am going to find out why you did what you did. Now tell me." When she did not answer, he leaned forward in his seat and stared her down. "If we have to stay in here until we both get old and gray before you answer my question we will."

"That would not be fair Face; I am 20 years younger then you." She said relaxing some.

"Yea and I have seen how much you eat. You can't go more then a couple hours without trying to eat anything that you get near."

"I don't eat that much!" She said in a mock horror.

"Tell that to Squeaky, he is always complaining you eat more in one day then the rest of the base does in a week." He said with a laugh. "Now come on, talk to me. I can't help you if you won't trust me."

"You are going to think it is stupid." She said letting out a long sigh.

"Let me be the judge of that."

"Ok," she said, with a weary sigh, leaning forward and lowering her voice. "It is something that I inherited from 'Riina Kwaad'."

"Your Vong programming?"

"_Yuuzhan _Vong, she was part of the Domain Kwaad and they have some quarks that they share with the other Shaper. Namely, we do not like anyone to touch our heads. Usually the headdresses we would wear would discourage anyone from trying but even without them, it has been known to be an instant death to who ever were stupid enough to try to play with our hair."

"So when Starred ran his hand through your hair you programming kicked in."

"My _instinctive_ reaction was to kill him however I was able to regain control before I did." She leaned back against the wall on Ratnena's bunk. "I hate wearing hats of any kind. One reason I do not like flying X-wings is I have to wear that flight helmet while I do it. I am able to repress it long enough to do the job but Flight Officer Starred took me by surprise, I did not think I just reacted."

"So you acted as you were programmed too."

Tahiri narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a frank-evaluating stare, he could not help himself it gave him the chills.

"The memories of 'Riina Kwaad' were taken from a living person before they were introduced into 'Tahiri Veila'. So in a very real sense she did exist." Tahiri leaned forward again and Face caught himself from leading away from her. He forced himself to sit still. "What you don't understand, what no one seems to understand is that up here," she said pointing to her head not touching it, he notices just pointing, "I am very much half Yuuzhan Vong and half human. I have the best and worst of both worlds. I cannot always predict which impulse will manifest itself but I do try to fight any improper impulses. And trust me there are human instincts that I have to ride hard on as well as my Yuuzhan Vong ones."

"Also I would not say I reacted as I was 'programmed' as you put it, 'Riina Kwaad' started out as a Shaper but she was trained as a Warrior. Add that to "Tahiri Veila" Jedi and Tusken Raider training I am sure you can understand why I said I have no excuse. If I had been acting out of total impulse, there would not been enough left of him to save."

"So what stopped you?"

"I did, I thought how I could use the Force to make him really scream in pain." She said with sorrow in her eyes. "I saw how close I was to giving in to the Dark Side and pulled myself back. No matter what he had done to me, there is no excuse for me to act like that. What would happen if I was on a mission and that happened? I could expose Rat and the rest to inexcusable danger, not just from me but also from the enemy who would do anything to stop me. And that is not something that I can allow to happen."

"So even as out of control as you were, you still knew that you should control yourself and to stop what you were doing."

"Yes sir, but ."

"So in a sense you did the right thing even though your instinctive reaction was to split him open like a gutted fish?" Face asked watching her face carefully.

"No sir," she sounded and looked very weary as she tried to make him understand, "if I had done the right thing in the first place we wouldn't be here right now."

"So you did gut him like a fish?"

"No, of course not!"

"So you did the right thing after all."

"No, the right thing would have been not to lose my temper and attack him!"

"So you used the Force to slam him into the table?"

"No," she said lying back against the wall again, "I thought about using the Force but I didn't."

"Before or after you slammed him in the table?"

"After; as I stood there watching him squirm on the table and staring at me and the knife I slammed into the table top."

"So was that your Yuuzhan Vong, Jedi or Raider training you used?"

"It is a unique combination of all three."

"Ah," Face said sitting back and allowing his body to relax, "so you did do the right thing."

"No I did not Face, the right thing was not to lose my temper in the first place. A Jedi is to be calm and in control at all times. We are not to scare people or do what I did."

"So you attacked him for no reason."

She sat back up and gave him a strange look, after a few minutes, she answered him.

"Well I felt I had to defend myself from him because of his action."

"What actions? I mean running his hand through your hair is a usual action for someone human to show affection?" When she did not answer, he probed some more, "What if he had held your hand? Gave you a kiss?"

"Having time to think back, ." She responded with her eyes flashing.

"No, no I want to know what your instincts would have told you what to do." He asked not giving her a chance to think, "I don't want to know what you should have done I want to know what you would have done."

"I think I would have reacted the same way." She said with reluctance.

"Why?"

"Because I felt threaten by him, I have informed him in the past that I do not appreciate his attention towards me. When he ran his fingers through my hair not only was I offended as Yuuzhan Vong but as a human."

"Ok now we are getting somewhere, so what should you have done?"

"I should have ignored ."

"Sound like you tried to ignore him and we see how that worked out, what should you have done."

"I guess I don't know." She answered honestly.

"Did you talk to anyone about it?"

"Yes, Little Brother and Rat."

"And were they able to help you fix this problem?"

"We talk about it but they couldn't get him to stop either."

"Did you go to a superior officer?"

"Uh ." she looked as if the thought never occurred to her, "no sir, it was my problem I did not think it was worth going to anyone else about it."

"Why not?"

"Well gee Face; I am going to be a Wraith. I can't go running back here every time I have a problem with some guy." She said sarcastically. "It might be a small tip off to the bad guy, don't you think."

"Ok I conceded that point however you shouldn't have to deal with that from your own side. If you tried to solve it on your own, then your wingman and you tried to solve it and it is still a problem, you should come to one of us."

"I didn't think it was that big of a problem." She replied with a sheepish shrug.

"Well if it wasn't that big of a problem I don't think you would have stabbed an innocent table top." He sat back and gave her a frank stare that she did not flinch from or looks away. "Ok Tahiri, you could have handled this a lot better then you did. In a normal unit, you would be packing your bags right now. However, the Wraiths are not a normal unit so I will cut you some slack, mostly because you did not cause any major damage nor did you uses the Force. Nevertheless, that does not mean you are out of the fire yet. One, you are on probation for the rest of training; anymore discipline problems and I will have no choice."

"Yes Face."

"Two, I had secured weekend passes for everyone. I am going to let you people's catch your breath before we move on to phase II since there are only 16 of you left here. Now, although, you are restricted to base during leave period. You will also stand all the watches for that weekend, three days sixteen hour shifts. You will be restricted to your quarters except to stand watches and eat meals."

"That sounds fair; give me lots of quiet time to figure out how not to flay every idiot I run across."

"Oh how Jedi of you," He laugh at the face she made at him, then moved on, "Ok, now whom do you trust enough to talk to about your little anger management problem?"

"Here? Rat and Little Brother."

Face though about that comment, a droid and someone who is even in worst shape then she was in, not good.

"How about Elassar or Kell or one of the other command staff could you trust them enough to talk to when you feel like you want to stab tables again?"

"Except I am supposed to be a naive innocent farm girl fresh off Tatooine, how would it look if I go running to you guys every time I have a problem?"

"Tahiri, I think you already blew that story out of the sky today. How many farm girls do you know who can fight like that?"

"Oh," she said looking slightly distressed, "well we already have in my file that I'm a self defense expert. And since I didn't use the Force it should still hold up, we can always pass it off as something I learn on Tatooine."

"Maybe but if you finish here we may have to change some things in the next cover story, these guys will buy that story but I doubt the really nasty bad guys out there will." Another thought suddenly occurred to him, "By the way, what would have the proper Yuuzhan Vong response had been to what happened to you."

"It would have not gotten as far as it did," she answered in a matter of fact fashion, "we would had a ritual combat weeks ago since I do not wish to mate with him. He would have fought me to prove to all that his love for me was proper and sanctioned by the gods. If he had won I would had to be his, unless I killed my self-first, and if he had lost, he would have to leave me alone or face a dishonorable death. Most times the marriages arrangement is done by the different Domains or by their superiors, in which case neither would have much a choice in the decision."

"They are really," he stops to think of the proper term, "practical people."

"You forget sir, that I have the memories of the old 'Tahiri Veila' rambling around up there. From what she had observed and what I have observed about human mating rituals, while rarely is combat required, you people can be just as bloody and a whole lot messier about the whole thing. And the Yuuzhan Vong ways is a lot more cut and dry about such things."

"She attacked me without cause or justification, I demand justices sir!"

Face was watching the pompous jerk pace back and forth in front of his desk, Flight Officer Starred was from Adumar and what he has heard and seen over the years, they could be as stiff necked about things as the Vong could, not that they would ever admit that fact. When Wedge found them 17 years ago they were actively, killing each other for sport with the excuse that honor was all-important. While most of the people from Adumar were able to adjust to the fact that not everyone in the Galactic Alliance would duel at the drop of a hat, Starred must not be one of them.

"We do not have duels in this unit Mr. Starred, no matter what injuries you _think_ you may have suffered to your honor."

"She attacked me in a ."

"Why did she attack you? Could it have been the fact that she has told you that she was interested in you and this was just her way of saying 'I love you'?" Face said standing up behind his desk, "How many times did she tell you that she was not interested in any relationship with you?"

"Sir, we are both men of the world and have been around the block a few times, we both know that many times woman will say one thing and yet desire another." Starred said with a leer and a smile, Face was half temped to allow him to dual Tahiri after seeing that smile, Starred needs something kicked out of him. "Trust me sir, no woman has ever resisted my charm, I'm sure she was playing hard to get."

"If she played any harder you would be dead right now. She is from Tatooine, you understand, she may not even know how to play those kinds of games." Face said trying to hold down his own lunch, he has met many pilots and other in the service that thought this way and he never did like it or understand it.

"She knows sir, they all know." He said anger returning to his face as his cocky smile fled, "After we get done with the duel and my honor is restored, I am quite sure she will decided to refrain from any more playing. After all sir I always get want I want."

"Are you stupid or something? The girl comes with in centimeters of making you her next course at dinner and you still want to sleep with her!"

"It is the principle of the matter sir, I always gets what I want," his leer came back, "besides I think I would have fun teaching her the proper way a woman should treat a man."

"You are a idiot, Starred. Listen to me, this is a direct order; you will cease your unwanted attention on Flight Officer Sandblaster. You will not make any comments, passes, looks or even sneeze at her if it does not have a direct bearing on a mission, understand?"

"Sir, I do not believe it is within your authority to issues such order," Starred replied stiffly.

"Ordinarily I won't but I am trying to save a good officer, I think throwing Sandblaster in the brig for the rest of her life would be a waste of a good officer, save me from doing a lot of paperwork, and to save Squeaky from disposing of your bloody corpse."

"Sir, I protest ."

"Wrong answer, Starred. All I want to hear is 'Yes sir'."

"Yes sir," Starred grounded out through clinched teeth after a few moments.

"I am holding you too that promise Starred. Now get out of here we have a briefing at 2100 hours, go let the rest of the squad know." Face accepted his salute and sat down after he left his office. He glanced over at the other occupant of the room who remained silent during the whole conversation. "Comments Explosion Boy?"

"No, not really." The larger Wraith said stretching in his chair. "I give you 2 to 1 odds he still tries to get Tahiri to 'fall in love' with him. The real question is will she kill him or will she come to one of us for help."

"I think she will come to one of us after today. I think before she was more worried about breaking security then she was about him. Now that I have removed that barrier, she will come to us before she kills him. Tahiri is smart, too smart to throw away her life over him." He looked over at Kell, "how about your special project?"

"Well her and I were in the hanger working on my X-wing, nice to have another ace mechanic on the squad, when the alert came down from Squeaky. Do not worry he used Tahiri's cover identity and all he said was she was in a fight. However, before that she was dropping hints about how annoyed they both were about High and Starred. From what I gather High is only slightly less annoying then Starred. I'm going to have a nice sit down with him after the briefing."

"Do you think she will try to get revenge on Starred for his actions against Tahiri?"

"There is nothing in her record showing that she will go out of her way to help anyone else, but then again she thinks really highly of Tahiri. Lets just say I hope not. I asked Drayson to keep an eye on the computers access for the next couple of days and after they get back. Her normal pattern is to strike hard and quickly, maybe after she gets back from leave she will forget all about it."

"Except Tahiri will be here on triple duty while Starred is out having the time of his life."

"That is why I extended past this weekend."

"Oh no you don't, Little Brother and you are going on leave." Sara said looking up at Ratnena with her arms crossed over her chest. They had just gotten back from a surprise briefing from Commander Loran, where he informed them that they all had three day pass. He also told them that, due to her actions in the mess hall, Flight Officer Sandblaster had volunteered to stand watch for everyone during that period. Ratnena had been angry before now she was furious, it was not Sara's fault that she did what she did that idiot! When they got back to their room she made a simple comment that she would stay behind and do some work with the computers while Sara was restricted duty. Some how the kid figured out that Ratnena was up too. That what she normally liked about Sara, she was quick thinker. Tonight she wished she had been a little slower. "I know you figured out that he has advance slicing skills, I know you two like to slice into the base computers and I know you are both upset about what happened. The last thing I need is you hanging around in the base thinking how unfair it is and get some crazy idea to use the computer for some kind of revenge."

"Do you really think that I would ever use the base computer in some grand plan to get revenge on some worm?" Ratnena said trying to look innocent.

"And who set up a computer virus that infected the entire bases computer net that showed a scantly clad dancing line version of me doing high kicks across the computer monitor _after_ I finial completed a slicing exercise?" She shot back with raised eyebrows.

"Well come on that was funny, I think you turned purple faster then I have ever seen you turn purple before."

"And you did that to someone you liked, I hate to see what you would do to someone you were mad at." Sara said not knowing how vicious Ratnena could be, which Ratnena was thankful for right now. If she had known she probably, warn Commander Loran or Major Tainer that she was up to something. Little Brother said something to Sara, which after she read it on her wrist comm., she turned her glare on him. "Oh I am sure you would never help her, after all who programmed the flight simulator to give us smiley faces and a silly song when ever we get shot down during practices." Sara turned around and grabbed her showering items and change of clothes. "Look you two, I appreciate that you both want to stay here with me, I really do. But the truth is I won't have time to visit with you guys or anything but do my watches and sleep. At least if you two go out, I won't be worried about you getting into trouble or anything. If I can't have fun I want you to have fun."

Ratnena flopped down on her bunk when Sara went into the refresher. The problem was clear, if Sara was worried about her using the computer for some kind of revenge, then Major Tainer would definite be on the alert for her. After all Major Tainer _did_ know what Ratnena was capable of and how vicious she could be when she was mad at someone. So to teach that little worm a lesson she would have to be very creative. As she took her clothes off to go to bed, an idea hit her, a nasty idea.

"Say Little Brother, I think Sara is right we should head out." She said with a nasty smile.


	7. Chapter 7

"Well, at least we finished the first part of our mission." Jorge High commented as he scanned the cantina again looking for a likely companion for the night. This was the first night they had off in three months and by the looks of it the quality of females had not improved much. One of the downfall of a planet that was nothing but one big military base was that really hot women usually don't join the military. And the base was still too new for the normal side business to get a foothold on the planet. So far it was the usual brand of women who were not pretty enough to waste much time on.

"It took us long enough that is for sure, our contact was not happy the last time I talked to them." Hal Starred said draining his glass and signaling the serving droid for a refill. "Our mission wasn't even supposed to identify her just track her."

"Yea well we did our part, we can contact them when we get back and get out of here." He said leaning back in the booth, "I don't want to be around when that Slayer gets here."

"Yea, I agree." Hal said looking at his drink, "they can't pay me enough to be around here when that shows up. But we got the recording from the bugs in the Commander's office so we can prove we done everything we could. We just have to wait for the next contact window to open and then we will get 'washed out'."

"Then it is off to some planet with new names, lots of money and we will be living like kings." He stopped and took another sip from his drink. "Too bad we can't get Ratnena to come along with us."

"Don't be stupid, she is good friends with that freak. Even if we told her the truth she won't believe us, not after the stunt I pulled to flush out that freak. And don't forget what our briefing said about her, she maybe one of the hottest women in the galaxy but she is also a walking time bomb. The only thing that is saving us from her is we didn't push things too hard with her. Tahiri would go out of her way to defend a friend but Ratnena won't."

"Yea but …" he broke off when he saw _her _walk in. She was about his height, red hair, slim and athletic looking without being too bulky, wearing a red shimmering dress that exposed a good part of her legs and her hair hanging loosely around her bare shoulders. She was turning heads all round the cantina as she shyly walked up to the bar near their booth. "Hello what do we have here?"

"I see and she looks lonely doesn't she." Hal said with a smile on his face.

"We can't have that now can we?" Jorge said watching her look around the room; as if she was not sure she should be in there by herself.

"Well of course not, and as Wraiths we should really go over there and keep her company. I wonder if she has a friend for you?"

"Uh-uh buddy, she is all mine." Jorge said standing up grabbing his drink.

"We'll see old buddy." Hal said with a laugh, picking up his drink and following Jorge over to the bar.

As both men walked over to the goddess, she looked up from her drink and flashed them a bright inviting smile. Hal stood against the bar on her right as he stood on her left.

"Hello miss, you must be new here at Borleias."

"Why yes how did you know?" She said in a soft voice with a slight accent that kind of sound like she was singing her words.

"Well you walked in here disregarding one of the best known regulations here on Borleias." Hal said smoothly. She looked down at her outfit, looking very distressed as if she was somehow causing a scene with the way she was dressed. "A beautiful woman such as your self should never be seen in public alone. That is a crime against humanity for a flower as beautiful as you to be lonely."

"Oh," she said with her bright smile returning and lighting up the room. "I just got here the other day and really haven't had a chance to make any friends. I'm a nurse at the base hospital."

"Ah then my friend here will see a lot of you, he is a horrible pilot," Jorge said taking a whiff of her perfume. "I, on the other hand, am an excellent pilot."

"Oh pilots!" She said in that wonderful accent of hers, drawling out to make it sound like as exotic creature she always wanted but never dare to meet before.

"Actually I am the better of the two, but I let Jorge here think what ever he wants. My name, by the way, is Hal Starred."

"I'm Minnie Heart." She said holding out both hands in a delicate fashion so that each man could take one. She looked at each with a slightly distressed looked, "I hope you gentlemen could help me learn the regulations around here, I would hate to accidentally get in trouble."

"Why of course we would be happy to help you in," Jorge stopped to order another round for all three, "any manner way we can. In fact we would be in violation ourselves if we didn't help you on this lovely night."

"That is true, Minnie, just place your trust in us. You be as safe as if you were in your mother's arms." Hal said with a grin that Jorge recognized for what it was, Minnie however seem to take it at face value.

"Why if I can't trust two dashing and incredible hansom pilots," drawing that word out again and lowering her head but keeping her eyes on them, "who could I trust?"

Hal could not believe how much Minnie could drink, normally he could out drink any woman, or man for that matter, but she kept up drink for drink. That made him want her more not less he liked challenges. By the way Jorge stumbled in to the robot cab, his friend was going to crash soon. Then it would be just him and Minnie.

"Hey droid go to this address," she said leaning up to whisper the address to the purple and white R2 droid behind the controls. When she sat back she leaned across both men, "one of the other nurses told me about a empty VIP house near by, she and her 'friends' sometimes use it instead of going back to the barracks. She gave me the pass code to get in, so we won't have to worry about anyone interrupting our little party." Minnie said with her cute smile and laugh.

All three of them found this to be hilarious, but Jorge sounded like he was near the pass out point. _Come to think of it I am almost there myself,_ Hal thought in drunken haze. Part of his brain wonder if it was only 2300 hours how he got drunk so fast but the rest was just happy he wouldn't have to share at all. Earlier he had suggested that they find a friend for Jorge, but she pouted and said that she couldn't stand the idea of sharing her pilots with anyone. She found them and they were hers. Hal continued to tell the dumb girl lies about his flying skills, about dogfights that he never fought in. _Like she would know the difference, _he thought as he ran his hand down her back.

When they got to the house they had to help Jorge up to the front door, Hal was going to have a great time reminding Jorge on what a lightweight he was in the morning. It took Minnie three times to punch the right keys, which they all found to be extremely funny. Making exaggerated shushing noises she led them in the house, keeping the lights off. Somehow they made up stairs to the main sleeping quarters without killing themselves. Once there, Jorge fell down on the bed and passed out. Hal fell on the bed laughing at his friend as Minnie stood next to the bed taking off her shoes.

"Ha, he is such a lightweight, he is passed out already!"

"Guess it is just me and you fly guy." She said helping him roll over on his back, he was getting way to comfortable himself but didn't fight her as she leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Relax and trust me, after all if you can't trust me who can you trust."

And as he fell blissfully asleep he felt something cool on his neck, then it was dreamtime for him.

Ratnena staggered back from the bed, ripping off her red wig. She stumbled over to where she left her bag and pulled out a data pad.

"Little Brother, are you in the house?" She said in to the data pad audio pick up.

AFFIRMATIVE, I AM TAKING A SERVICE LIFT UP TO YOUR LOCATION. I HAVE CONVINCED THE HOUSE COMPUTER TO IGNORE OUR PRESENTS FOR NOW.

"Great, hurry up I want to be out of here before that general gets home." She was of course referring to the commanding General of Borleias, who was away with his wife and family on a working vacation on Denon. He was scheduled to return first thing in the morning but she wanted a healthy margin of error. So far most of her plan has work out well except those stupid pills she borrowed, stole was such an ugly word, from supply along with some other helpful bits of gear. The pills were supposed to allow you to break down alcohol in your system so you could drink and yet stay sober. They forgot to tell you if you drank too much they no longer had the same effect. Although she wasn't as drunk as those two space slugs, she was a lot drunker then she should have been. Then again those two poured a lot of alcohol down her and themselves, they won't be waking up soon. Especially after she was done 'fixing' their drinks with a low grade sleeping powder. It was a powder that one could mix in with alcohol and not kills anyone; it had to be mixed in slowly over a period of couple hours. _The Wraiths had all kinds of interesting toys, I wonder if this is part of phase II training_.

Little Brother rolled in to the room, dragging a bag behind him, and turned his dome to look at the two sleeping men on the bed, he let out some whistles and beeps.

"Yep, they are out cold." She said after reading his question. "Has that cab come up missing yet?"

NEGATIVE, THE BASE COMPUTER BELIEVES IT IS THE HANGER FOR REPAIRS. WE NEED TO HAVE IT BACK WITHIN NEXT THREE HOURS.

"Not a problem, we be done in a hours." She replied grabbing the bag off the floor, _mess with **my friend** will you!_ "Let's get this over with."

Tahiri was bored out of her mind, _Two more days of this and I will go insane, _she thought as she sat at the main entrance to the Wraith building on guard duty. She was supposed to answer the comm. if anyone called, no one did, do a hourly round to insure there was no intruders or any thing happing, which there wasn't since everyone was gone from the building, and watch the cams in the hanger. Squeaky and the rest of the droids had shut themselves down for the night except for the MSE-droid who was cleaning the lobby but it was not smart enough to talk to. Shalla was the officer on duty but she went to sleep hours ago, it was after all 330 in the morning, and the rest of the command staff followed the trainees out on leave. She had been able to review some of her Jedi training, read some of her mail that had been backing up from Han and Leia. They both told her they wished her luck in doing whatever she was doing. Leia looked slightly distressed that they couldn't be told what she was doing or where she was. She really wanted to drop them a line letting them know she was ok, but she held off. Reviewing mail was one thing but sending out mail was definitely a no-no.

She also had been practicing some of her Force exercises since there was no one else in the area, letting the Force just wash over her. She noticed, again, that the line between the 'normal' Force and what Jacen called 'Vongsense' was getting blurry. It was getting increasing harder to tell where one stopped and the other began. She could feel the normal planet life on Borleias as well as the left over Yuuzhan Vong life forms that hadn't been removed yet. She often wondered if the Galactic Alliance was setting themselves up for failure in the project to eradicate all Yuuzhan Vong life forms on many of the planets that the Yuuzhan Vong had invaded. Even in this building and the surrounding area she could still feel small plant and animals surviving after the area had been certified 'clean'. She had said something to Jacen, Jaina and Jag that many of these planets would be like her, a combination of the two cultures. From the looks Jag and Jaina gave her told her what they though of the idea, Jacen told her not to worry that the Force will bring everything back in balance. 

Han had been more understanding and explained why they had to at least try.

"Many people would believe that the war ended at Coruscant but the leaders know the truth, Tahiri. After the post victory enthusiasm wears off many questions will be raised about their homes. Even if they don't get rid of all the alien life forms they have to at least try, or the people will began to wonder if they really won anything. It could take years for the people to notice that their efforts had failed. Hopefully by then they will have had enough time to get use to it."

"But isn't that just setting them up for a new fall?"

"Sure but this crop of politicians will be long gone before that happens."

Tahiri couldn't help but think the seeds to the next conflict had already been planted with that kind of short-term thinking.

She also spends the time in the Force reviewing why she had reacted to Hal Starred the way she did. Had it been some subtle hint of danger from the Force? Sure she didn't like anyone to touch her head however she usually just jerked away or moved to end the offending touch. She had never attacked anyone before. At first she though it was due to the fact he couldn't take no for answer, but the more she though about it that the more of a secondary problem it became. Yes, she didn't like him in that manner but that still should not have set her off like it did.

In one of the cam screen she saw a shuttle landing in the lighted landing field, she was not surprise and actually happy to see Rat and Little Brother depart from the shuttle. She watched Rat walked across the field towards the main building, she didn't seem to be intoxicated but she did have a huge smile on her face.

"Hey Rat," Tahiri said when she walked through the door, "hey Little Brother, you guys are home early."

GOOD MORNING FLIGHT OFFICER SANDBLASTER.

"Hey kid." Rat said walking around the desk and giving her a hug. "Did you miss us?"

"Of course not, it was nice to be able to do my work without worrying about some prank being pulled one me." Rat turned the hug from behind her into a fake chokehold, laughing Tahiri commented on her perfume.

"Like it?" she said into her ear, "Maybe I give you some if you ever let me teach you how wear makeup."

"Sorry I don't wear make up, but I might try perfume."

"You should it drives the boys crazy!"

"Is that what you been up too last night driving men crazy?"

"Mm you could say that," she said giving her another hug, "but I tell you later. Right now, I need some night-night time."

After she left to go back to their room, Tahiri cocked an eyebrow at Little Brother.

"Do I want to know what happened?"

I AM SCHEDULE TO PERFORM SOME ROUTINE COMPUTER CHECKS ON THE X-WING I WILL BRIEF YOU LATER. Little Brother said spinning around and heading towards the hanger. Tahiri suddenly had the feeling she was not so sure she wanted to know what they had been up too.


	8. Chapter 8

Face, after being rudely waken up at 0900 by the commanding officer of the Borleais Military Police, was racing to get to the Commanding General office across the huge complex of office buildings, supply depot, shipyards and vehicle storage building that made up the base. All the colonel would tell him was that the general wanted him in his office as soon as possible and that there was a problem with some of his men. Face knew General Sinclair from past meetings, security briefings and such, a few times at the senior officers club but they were not friends however, they did have admiration for each other work and skills. When Face first approached the general about placing the new Wraith headquarters in the southern landmass on Borleais, Sinclair not only warmly welcomed the Wraiths but also sent a detachment of construction droids to assist in building the base. He kept trying to figure out what Ratnena could have done, not only to warrant the head M.P., but the Commanding General's personal attention. 

He knew, as soon as he got the call, that Ratnena had to be involved somehow, there just was not any other person who could cause that much higgledy-piggledy in such a short time. _Their leave had just started yesterday. _The only other choice would have been Tahiri but he personally called her before he went to sleep at 0100 and she answered the call. Piggy had verified that she had been on duty all night; Tahiri was an excellent Jedi but a lousy slicer. If she had tried to slice her way into the logs, she would have crashed every computer on the planet. Unless Tahiri, Ratnena and Little Brother all working together? No, that did not fit in with Tahiri's personality. She would never leave her post to get revenge on someone, would she?

When he got to the main office building things even looked worst, not only had they been waiting for him to arrive but also a private was standing by to escort him up to the general's office. The four M.P.s' waiting out in the General's outer office did not fill him with confidence nor did the look of the sympathy the General's aid gave him as he told Face to go ahead in.

"Commander Loran is reporting as order sir," Face said while saluting the general and scanning the room with his eyes. The general was sitting behind his desk with a jolly expression on his face; however, Face could tell by his body language that the general was ready to chew through durocrete. Standing off to the right was the source of the general's displeasure. Flight Officers High and Starred, both men were wearing wrap around towels and nothing else in the way of clothing. Their bodies however were sporting 'battle paint' wiggly strips on their torsos, arms and faces. Officer High was also sporting woman's eyeliner, blush and lipstick and a red bow in his hair. Face could not help staring at the sight of the two men_, oh Ratnena, what have you done this time!_

"Please have a seat Garik; I am sorry to call you in here on such short notice, especially since I learned that today is first day of vacation for you in almost six months."

Face pulled his attention away from the spectacle standing silently beside him. He sat down in the chair that would leave High and Starred directly behind him so he would not distract himself by staring at them.

"Thank you General, I'm sure you would not call me away from my leave unless it is of great importance."

"As I said I'm sorry to pull you away," the general repeated, to Face's trained ear he sounded very sincere, "I, myself, had just returned from Denon with my wife and two daughters."

"I hope you had a relaxing vacation sir."

"It was more of a working vacation I am afraid, damn politicians. Have you had a lot of experience dealing with the Senate?"

"Fortunately sir, I have not."

"You right about that being fortunate, those blood sucker are impossible to deal with. They have questions and complaints but never any solutions. You are lucky that you only have to run one small base, wait until you run a base this side or get a ship command. Then those space slugs will be calling you on the carpet for every credit you spend and every bit of data you produce. They can be a real pest but that is the price of democracy as you know."

"Yes sir, I understand what you mean," Face did understand, before the Fall of Coruscant, events involving the Senate showed the whole Republic just how bad the Senate could be. He supposed it was naïve to think they had learned their lesson from that debacle but it was a nice dream. "And if I may say sir, the powers that make the decisions on who runs bases and ships tend to pass over those in the intelligence field. So I doubt I will ever have much opportunity as you to deal with the Senate."

"Oh I understand what you are saying; people are always afraid that you and your kind know where the bodies are buried and think you would tell everyone just where the bodies are. It is a shame; I have had very few complaints about you and your base. You and your staff are one of the few bright spots around here. Some of the people on this planet must have learned their management skills from the Senate. Nevertheless, I must ask you if you had any discipline with your personal. I understand that you have had a very grueling training program down there."

"Yes sir," Face began with an outline of what the Wraiths had set up to weed out and strengthen the personal he hoped to replace the aging Wraiths. He summarize by saying, "Sir, please understand something about the Wraiths, we get a lot of 'retreads' personal who are staring at a discharge or lengthy prison sentences in the face. The Wraiths are their last hope."

"Like Flight Officer Bora?"

"Yes sir," Face said hoping he had hided his flinch; he was hoping that no one in the training program would find out about it until she had complete training. He was hoping after she had proven herself to the rest and let them know she was under orders not to discuss the incident they would accept her more easily then if they found out early in the game. Attempted murder of your formal squad was something hard to live down. "I should add that I have not had any trouble with Flight Officer Bora, other then her roommate and her playing pranks on one another."

"Have you had any problems with a," he looked down on his data pad, "a Flight Officer Sandblaster? She is Miss. Bora's roommate, correct?"

"Yes sir," Face was hoping he could keep that particular problem in house but those two wonder boys behind him must have talked too much, "I was forced to place her on three day restricted duty for striking a fellow officer. However much I agree with the actions she felt she had to take, unit discipline forced me to take those steps."

"Are you sure she was at the base last night?" The general said, giving no outward clue why he was so interested in where Tahiri might have been, however Face had a good guess as to why.

"Yes sir, when I was orders here I contacted my base to talk to my Officer of the Day. Piggy told me he had no idea why I had been summoned here but told me when he relieved Flight Officer Sandblaster she reported nothing out of the ordinary. I also contacted her last night around 0100 to see if everything was secured."

"Sir it had to have been her, she …" Starred started but was silence by the general before Face could tell him to shut up.

"You will remain silent! You are in enough trouble as is, do - you -understand -me!" The General said standing up so fast his chair slammed against the wall behind him. Face was amaze that Starred actually shut up, he must have more brains then Face had given him credit for to bad he did not use them before today. After the General sat back down, he resumed talking in a normal tone again. "These two," packing a lot of venom in that one word, "claimed that Sandblaster had engineered some kind of elaborate con to get them in to trouble. So I have to ask what Flight Officer Sandblaster's involvement with these two is."

"Sir, the reason Flight Officer Sandblaster was placed on restricted duty is she struck Flight Officer Starred after he made an advance to her, it was a sexual advance; she and her roommate have told me that she was not interested in such relationships with Flight Officer Starred. Starred himself admit to me and in front of my …"  
"Sir! I am being unfairly …"

"SHUT UP!" the general bellowed out and walking around his desk to talk face to face with Starred, "so far you have blamed Sandblaster, Bora, that R2 unit and now your commanding officer in conspiring against you! Are you going to suggest that I am part of some conspiracy to do you in? You have changed your story as often as a Hutt eats! I have read Bora's service record, while it is borderline mental; nothing in there suggest that she would go through such an elaborate scheme to get revenge on anyone, especially since she has a tenancy to try to kill those she hates!"

Face turned and looked at High and Starred while the General chew them out. High was near tears and Starred was turning purple with rage. Had it been anyone else standing there Face would have made an effort to calm the general down, but not for those two. Was it playing favorites? Maybe but his conscious was clear, he had more invested in Tahiri and Ratnena then in those two. Moreover, Starred rubbed him the wrong way the other day, he would not be sorry to see him go. The comm. system beeped, allowing a brief moment of rest as the general went back to his desk to answer the call.

"Yes?"

"**Sir, I checked out the story the two officers gave us, there was a red head at the cantina last night. The bartender droid did not see who she left with or when. As for her identity we still have no idea who she was, Nurse Heart is not listed in any of the personal records while we do have about 4 females who resemble the woman in question. All four have been ruled out since they were all on duty or around other who could verify their where bouts. Bora was at the flight simulator room from 2000 until 0027, she had spent $200.00 credits on the simulator. After that, she went to the cantina, spent half hour having one drink and arguing with the droid about her R2 unit being in the bar. At 0135 she left the bar, showed up at the shuttle at 0158 and waited for the 0200 flight to the Wraith base."**

"What time did these two entered into my residence?" The general asked watching Starred and High.

**"According to the log 0243, the cam and computer both back it up, no female-recorded being with them or a cab out front. Also all cabs had been check and there is no record of any of them being sent to your residence."**

"Was there any lapses of time for Bora to fix the computer and cam?"

**"If she did sir, then I don't know how she did it. There is no sign of tampering with any of the computers at the arcade, bar, shuttle port or your residence, sir."**

"Thank you colonel, please draw up the paperwork for me on these two." He clicked off the comm. and went over to his door. "Captain, please have the Advocates' office informed of these two's arrest. You guards, please escort these gentlemen to their new quarters." He turned to Face and stuck out his hand. "I am sorry to have bothered you Loran, I hope you enjoy the rest of your leave. When you have a moment please have their gear sent up here. They will not be returning to finish their training with you."

With that, the general flew out of his office and the guards were close behind him dragging Starred and High to prison. The two men were pleading and claiming that they had been set up. Face sat in the general's office feeling as if he was missing not only the big piece of the puzzle but the completely puzzle. He went back out into the waiting room to ask the general's aid what exactly happened.

"Well sir it seems that the general's wife and two daughters went straight home this morning when they returned from Denon. The general himself came to the office to see what has happened while he was gone. When Mrs. Sinclair walked into the main sleeping quarters she found the one wearing the red bow, naked, tied up and spread eagle face down on their bed with the other one passed out on top of him naked. They had also trashed his room and spilled large amounts of alcohol in there. Her screaming brought her two daughters into the room and well sir I sure you can understand now why the general was so mad."

"Oh yea, I can take a good guess," like many people Face knew, he did not care what two people did behind closed doors and in private. However, it was a different story when you break into another person home and did something like that. Face had to admire Ratnena she knew how to get the best revenge. He will have to have Kell remind her of that fact as he makes her life a living hell for the last three months of training. "I know how I would feel if I came home and found anybody there no matter what they were doing. What is the deal with the redhead?"

"They claim a red headed nurse, they picked up at the cantina, had told them it was an empty VIP house. No one can find records of her anywhere nor did the cams record her being in the house. The General is of the opinion that she did leave the cantina but without them and they were too intoxicated to provide accurate information on her or a good description. Besides it does not really matter the cams and security systems recorded those two entering the house."

"I am surprise that the alarms did go off when they broke in?"

"They did, but they are silent alarms that only become visible at the guard house at the main M.P. building. Unfortunately no one entering the house would have known that the alarms had been tripped, which by the way the General is having that problem fixed as we speak, and the guard house never knew since the transmitter at the house had bad wiring." He glanced up at the clock hanging on the wall," sir, it is a good thing that we don't have jury trials here on Borleais, between all the new security checks the general has ordered and all the work the techs now have thanks to those two, we would never be able to find twelve people who could be impartial. It is already 10 in the morning and the General has issued enough orders to keep everyone, including me, busy for a week."

Face nodded his head in sympathy and wished the Captain luck in the future. As Face, heading back to his hotel room, digested the information, the puzzle became clearer. Face knew that Ratnena did not spend all that time in the simulator; she had used that time to change into a disguised while Little Brother, with his special programming, sliced into the various computer systems. The fact she had even went as far as too withdraw $200.00 credits from her account to make everything appear legitimate on the surface was really a well thought out touch. He was right about her, even though her skills as a pilot and her infiltration skills were at the bottom of the list, her slicer skills and computer knowledge more then made up for it. Of course, his admiration for her little prank was not going to stop him from dropping on Ratnena like a mega-ton of bricks when he got back to the base. He need to go check out of his hotel and contact Kell, Face knew between the two of them they would find someway to let Ratnena and Little Brother know how much they appreciate the joke. First, he called the hanger and had them prep Vape and his X-wing for flight.

"You are sure you won't try any of this?" Tahiri said holding out a forkful of her steak at Ratnena.

"Get that out of my face," Ratnena said swatting at Tahiri's hand, "you cold at least let it cook long enough so it was not moving on it is own power."

"It is cooked long enough," Tahiri said, faking her confusion, "it is all black on the out side?"

"But it is raw in the inside!" Ratnena said taking a bite out of some fruit. 

Back during 'Hell Month', they did not have the time or the luxury for specialized meals. Tahiri and Ratnena, trying to over come each other's special diet, would load up their trays with anything and everything then swap when they sat down. They still do to a point, Tahiri liking meat more then fruits and vegetables and Rat would not touching a piece of 'dead rotting animal flesh' as she called it with a 6 meter long pole. This 'swapping' meant that they shared many meals sitting together and become very close friends as a result, much closer then Tahiri has been to anyone in long time. Yesterday's leave for Rat was the longest time Tahiri, Little Brother and Rat had been apart since they met. While much of Tahiri was enjoying this close friendship, she was beginning to dread finishing training. How Rat would react to knowing the truth about her was something that was starting to keep her up at night. Right now Rat treated her with kindness, respect, she was a pain to be around sometimes but even at her worst, it was still a thousand times better then being alone. How would she react if she knew the truth? Anger, hate, suspicion, dread; would Tahiri go from being the great 'kid' as Rat though of her now to an evil monster that most view her? When she joined the Wraiths, she never thought that this would be a problem, and then again, she never would have guessed she would meet someone like Rat either. So in the past week she has become aware of two huge problems in her life, Starred and Rat. Neither one seem to have an easy solution available to her, even with the Force. Of course, the up side to all this was the chance that Starred would be so freaked out that he would leave her alone for good. _A dream, but it is a nice dream!_

Tahiri suddenly became aware of Rat shaking her arm and talking to her. She snapped herself out of her dream and saw Rat's pale blue eyes inches from her face.

"I asked if you are ok kid." Rat was saying sounding very concern.

"Uh, oh sorry, I must have been lost in thought." Tahiri replied lamely, watching Rat go back around to her side of the table, she still looked at Tahiri with a dubious look on her face. "Really Rat I am ok."

"You sure, I could call around and find Doc if you need him. Or Squeaky, he has some first aid programming in him."

"No, it just …" she stopped trying to find the right words to use, "it is just, I have a lot on my mind, you know."

"Ah, I understand," Rat said her features softening as she nodded her head, "do you want to talk about?"

_Yes! _That is what she wanted to scream out and wanted to remain hidden at the same time. She wanted to tell Rat so if Rat rejected her then it would be done and over with, but on the other hand she did not want to ever take the chance of losing a friend. _Damn you Master Kwaad may the gods never allow you to see them in their glory!_

"Hey Sara, what wrong?"

Tahiri looked up and saw Rat looking concern again. Would Rat see her as a friend after she learned the truth? Would anyone ever see her as a friend? She just looked down at the table and got her self under control. _You are Tahiri, Jedi Knight and Yuuzhan Vong Warrior; child of the Sand People you have nothing to be ashamed of and everything to be proud of._

"Yea, I am ok Rat. I just need to get my head screw on straight that is all, no big deal." Tahiri answered with a smile she hoped was convincing.

"Ok kid, if you want to talk about it you knows where I am." Rat said then with an evil glint in her eye she added more to that statement. "Of course it may not be your head that need screwed on tight; I think you need a leave to get …"

"RAT," Tahiri yelled and turning red again! _How does she always know how to make me blush?_

"Ah how cute."

Kell enjoyed the sight of both young women jump at the sound of his voice; they were so engrossed in their conversation that they heard Face and him walk into the mess hall. They both walked over to their table and sat down, Face next to Tahiri and Kell next to Ratnena. Tahiri looked at them with a smile on her face and Ratnena had a guard look, she probably had a real guess as to why they were back already.

"Looks like the gang is all here Explosion Boy," Face said causally laying a package on the table.

Kell looked around the empty mess hall, only the four of them and Squeaky, who was walking over to them, were present.

"No, Poster Boy there seems to be someone missing." Almost as if he was giving a signal Little Brother rolled into the mess hall, he took one look around, did a 180-degree turn, and started back out again. "No, no Little Brother, come join us."

The little droid stopped and turned back around making some very low tones. He must have figure out why they were here.

"Now this is cozy the six of us sitting around chewing the fat." Face said as he cut a piece of Tahiri's steak off and popping it his mouth. "Mm chewy."

"We really should do this more often Poster Boy."

"Um did you sirs enjoy your time at the main base?" Ratnena asked brightly

"Had a great time Miss. Bora," Face said reaching for the package, "in fact I found something today that I saw on someone else and thought it would look perfect on you. I just had to get it for you." He tossed the small package in front of Ratnena.

"Ah thank you sir, you should not have gone to the trouble." She said halting, as if she was starting to get a very clear picture as to why they were there.

"No trouble at all Miss. Bora, in fact when Poster Boy told me about it, I had to agree with him." He said giving her his most evil smile. She started opening the package as Tahiri watched the whole scene with confusion written on her face. Little Brother started making low moaning noises. She opened the package just far enough to look inside, when she did she went pale.

"What is it?" Tahiri asked grabbing the package out of Ratnena's hands; Ratnena was staring at the tabletop. "It is two red bows?"

"Yep, I saw one this morning and just knew that it would look great on Ratnena and Little Brother." Face said staring hard at the two co-conspirators, "I do not know why but those two names just seem to pop to the top of my head."

"Sir?" Tahiri started to ask, but was interrupted by Face.

"I have something for you too, Miss. Sandblaster. I talked to the Advocates office today about what happened the other day. After a discovery of certain actions this morning, they do not believe your punishment is appropriate. It seems that Starred and High were very naughty boys last night and …"

"Easy Poster Boy, she is only 18, we can not get too detailed. She is still innocent child, after all." Kell broke in; knowing that glare she sent was in half jest.

"So true Explosion Boy, it does not matter those two will not be returning to this base nor will you ever be brought up on charges for the assault." Face said looking over at Ratnena who was now paying very close attention to the conversation. "Starred and High, alone, are being charged with several crimes, they are the only two who will be charged"

"So I am off probation?" Tahiri said she kept watching all the interaction going on but clearly still have no idea what was going on.

"Yes and no," Kell said leaning over towards Ratnena who was looking as miserable as anyone could look, "while we would love to have you enjoy the leave we still need someone to do guard duty. And since everyone is still on leave we really do not think it would be fair to interrupt their plans this late in to the evening."

"True," Face said leaning across the table, "if only we had a voluntarier to take at least some of her watches."

"Well sirs, I seem to have a few hours free tonight I could take a four hour shift for her." Ratnena said managing a weak smile.

Kell and Face both sat up straight and exchanged looks as if the idea had never occurred to either one of them, Kell had a hard time keeping his face straight.

"Wow, I never thought of that, did you Poster Boy?"

"No, that is a brilliant idea. Gee wiz Explosion Boy I wish we were that smart."

Tahiri snorted and rolled her eyes while Little Brother and Ratnena sat quietly, waiting for the punch line.

"I must say Miss. Sandblaster you have a true friend there, imagine she is willing to take 12 of your 16 hours of watches." As Kell said that he saw something flash across Tahiri's face, it looked like she got a knife in the gut. Kell looked over at Face; by the way, he was looking at her, he must have caught it too.

"Sandblaster you ok?" Face asked, all humor leaving his expression.

"Yes sir," Tahiri answered in a low tone, "sir it is ok I do not mind standing watch …"

"No, I think it is wonderful that Bora is willing to stand watch for you so you …"

"It is not necessary sir!" She snapped out in a tone of voice Kell had only heard from Vong warriors before, she seem stop and take a few deep breaths before moving on. "Sir, may I be excused I need to head to my duty station."

Kell looked over at Face who was studying her closely before answering. "Very well Flight Officer Sandblaster, you may be excused. Piggy is the O.O.D.; I will relieve you at 0800 tomorrow. Any questions report them to the O.O.D. however I will be on post all night."

"Thank you sir." Tahiri said as she stood and saluted them. After they returned the salutes, she turned around and all but fled the mess hall.

"Bora, Little Brother, Junk Pile, Explosion Boy; what just happened?"

"She has been moody for the past week but I though it was because of Hal." Ratnena said, looking worried about Tahiri. Little Brother beeped out a complex sentence that Junk Pile translated.

"He said it has been closer to a week and half, sir."

"What do you think?" Kell asked Face who was still watching the doorway.

"Bora and Little Brother you should let me know if you see anything like that again, please. But in the mean time take those bows and go to storage room 1 with Squeaky; do a complete inventory of room 1 and keep the bows as a reminder that I know what you don't want me to know."

After the three left, Kell repeated the question to Face.

"When Charm Boy gets back have him make up an excuse to get her in his office, maybe he can figure out what is eating her. For now I keep a closer eye on her."


	9. Chapter 9

Ratnena and Sara walked into the briefing room together, but not together. Ever since that afternoon that Commander Loran and Major Tainer confronted Little Brother and her about their 'hobbies' during their last visit to the main base, Sara had been getting distant and closed up. Sara did not even crack a smile when she explained about the red bows. The only thing she said was she wished they had not done what they did to those two space slugs that they were not worth the risk of washing out. Little Brother had tried drawling her out of her shell too, with about as much success that she had. What really hurt was that Sara has not called her 'Rat' in five days. She did not even like that nickname! _Really, who wants to be referred as a rodent? Why it should bother me that Sara is now using my full name, it fits her stupid down on the farm personality! _It should not bother her, but it did bother her a lot. She had begun to see Sara as a little sister she always wanted, someone for her to torture and harass as her older brother did to her growing up. Now however she was reminding Ratnena of **_HIM_**!

Ratnena sat down on her right, not hoping Sara would talk or anything like that it was just habit. Just like when she sat near Sara during the morning meal and during exercise period, did not mean a thing just habit.

"Ok we are at the half way point people," Commander Loran said walking into the briefing room without any fan fare; the other senior members had been standing up on the main stage. "We should have only three more months to go before we are done. As you notice, we had another round of washouts during the weekend. That means there are only 14 of you left; I am hoping that we will not lose anymore. I had planned to have at least 24 out of the hundred we started with but you know how long plans can last. You 14 are the best we have so far, you made it further then the rest, no matter what happens after today this is something that you should be proud of for so many didn't even get this far." He stopped and scanned the room. "We set up phase 1 to make you fail. We wanted to see what you had inside you, we know now. Each of you took the challenge head on, met it and conquered it. We know that barring any unforeseen problems the chances are very good you will be Wraiths soon. Just don't get sloppy or lazy, we know how high you can reach, we expect you to keep working on climbing higher."

"From on now we will dispense with décor, we will issue Squadron positions and call signs, you may address by our call signs also. I am known as Poster Boy, Tainer is 'Explosion Boy', Shalla is 'Warrior Girl', Drayson is 'Circuitry Girl', Piggy is 'Droid Boy, Elessar is 'Charm Boy, Baljos is 'Science Boy' and of course you all remember our ever polite and helpful quartermaster Squeaky is known as 'Junk Pile'." Loran had to stop as a round of laughter went around the room. Ratnena knew why, helpful and polite were not exactly how she would describe but junk pile sure fit. She looked over at Sara with a grin, Sara however never looked at her nor was she smiling.

_What is wrong with this kid?_

"So let's start with you guys; Captain Mantic you are Wraith One, code name Demolitions." Ratnena had talked to him a few times he followed the same path that Explosion Boy had, he started out in commandos then transferred to pilots school after completing a couple tours as a commandos. He was also older then the rest of them, he was nearly 32; he started out in the enlisted ranks working his way up the ladder. He was also, as far as she can tell, the one with the most combat experience.

"And as Wraith Two is Flight Officer Elytra, code name 'Numbers'." Elytra is a 25-year-old Twi'lek female who had been an accountant before joining the military. She was also sweet on Mantic. Ratnena briefly wonder if Loran was aware of their mutual interest. She let out a small snort; of course, he does, nothing gets by him.

"Wraith Three is Flight Officer Gerta, code name Doc; I know hardly original but accurate." He said through the laughter. Gerta was a human male who was also a medic and had been in medical school before his home world had been over run by the Vong early in the war. She never heard why he chose fighters instead of returning to medical studies after joining the military but she could make a good guess; revenge was a powerful motivator. "And his wing man is Wraith Four, Flight Officer Ta'lye or as she will be known as 'Lucky'." Even Sara cracked a smile at the call name. Ta'lye was a early 20's Bothan female who was a slicer almost as good as Ratnena, a good pilot who was one kill away from being a ace, very quick thinker, very witty to talk to and she was a walking accident waiting to happen. Ta'lye had spent more time with Charm Boy and Gerta care then she did training. "I figured she shouldn't be to far away from her best friend."

"As long as she walks in front of me and no one lets her carry the explosives." Gerta said deadpan, but let out a smile when he saw her lean forward and stick her tongue out at him.

"Wraith Five and Six are Lt. Deloni and Flight Officer Saint; Deloni is our back up explosive expert and will be called 'Boom-boom'; while Saint will be 'Long shot'." Long shot had nothing to do with his gambling skills, which Ratnena had cleaned his clock one-night playing cards, but he was the best shot in the squad; even better then Sara who was the next best. "The next contestant is Lt. Hall as Wraith 7, she used to be a actual intelligent analyst, I thought it might be nice to have someone in her that actually knew what she was doing. Her call sign is 'Road Kill'; she picked it I did not so you have to ask her. Wraith 8 is our communication expert and will go by Sparks, Flight Officer Alpha tells me it is a long honor tradition in the communication field and so we will honor it."

"Wraith 9 is our supply officer when you are in the field away from Junk Pile; Flight Officer Ruler is a.k.a. 'Scavenger' with his wingman is Flight Officer Talnir; she is our computer expert with more learning towards droids, we will call her 'Bit'. Wraith 11 is Lt. Kertic, he is our weapons expert and called 'Sure Shot', his wingman is Flight Officer Fruge, she is our back up medic and supply person, we will call her 'Angle'."

"And rounding out the cast is Flight Officer Bora; her skills are in computers, mechanic, kitchen helper, great janitor, and wearer of red bows," he had to stop as the room burst in to laugher, "and being a general pain in the rear. The senior staff and I reviewed your choice of call signs, while we give you points on creativity; we just do not think 'Beautiful Princess and Glorious Ruler of the Galaxy' quite fit your personality."

Sara gave her a look that suggested that she was insane; Ratnena just stuck her tongue out at Sara, which did win her a small smile.

"Can you guess at the name we picked for you?" Explosion Boy asked while the room was laughing.

"I guess I can live with "Glorious Leader, sir," she said with a airy royal accent.

"Guess again ole girl with kitchen duty in her future again." Poster Boy said, "No, we all put our heads together and, well we picked 'Prankster'."

"I still say 'Red Bow' would be better." Science Boy said in the laugher.

"Last but not least, is Wraith 14. Her call sign is … "he stopped and looked down at his pad, "well for those of you who don't much about her let me give you a complete history. However, what I am about to tell you is classified information and will not be discussed with anyone out side this squadron without my direct order. Circuitry Girl if you would please."

"If you have any recorders or data pads or comm, equipment I suggest you take them out of the room now. We will wait." She said holding up a piece of equipment Ratnena never seen before. "This device will fry them complete, so please take a minute to deposit them out side."

Explosion Boy and Charm Boy gathered up the entire electronic devices on the stage and carried them out of the room. All the Wraiths were quickly following suit, as Ratnena removed her equipment she glanced over at Sara, wondering what was so important about her roommate that required this action. Sara was staring straight ahead and outwardly calm but Ratnena had been around her long enough to tell that she was as tense as she ever seen her. She was not even this tense around Starred. After everyone had returned to his or her seats and they got one last chance to save their gear, Circuitry Girl set the device on the ground and with a long insulated rod hit the control. Ratnena felt the hairs on her body stand on end, as if she was passing through a live current.

"Very well, first let me say Wraith 14 was allowed to join the Wraiths after and only if she agreed to certain conditions so if you have any problems with that you may come see me, not her. To tell you the truth I got the feeling lately she has had a lot of problems maintaining her cover story around you all, since you are all supposed to trust each other. I would like you to meet Tahiri, fighter pilot, spy, Yuuzhan Vong warrior and Jedi Knight."

Tahiri could hear a pin drop in the room, since Ratnena and her always sat in the back row alone, the rest of the trainees had to turn in their seats to look at her. Most of their faces were a mask of confusion and disbelieve. Doc was looking thoughtful as if was reviewing some information in his head and while Long Shot was looking very pleased. She cautiously looked over at her friend, or at least was her friend, who was radiating anger and confusion like a giant red star.

"You are a Jedi Knight." She asked, "we known each other for three months and you … here I thought you were this naïve, stupid, fresh off the farm, who needed her hand held while going to the refresher, never been around civilization little girl and you are a Jedi Knight! And you never told me!"

"She was under my direct orders Bora," Face snapped out, making his voice sound like a whiplash. Tahiri hardly hear him, her heart was already sinking past her waist and she tried to keep the dismay from showing on her face. She could not stand to watch how her only true friend was reacting to the news but she refused to show it. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"Yes!" she stared at Tahiri as if seeing her for the first time; "I mean do realize what kind of fun we could have had with those two before they got arrested! I mean what Little Brother and I did …", she stopped suddenly and for her a real rare blush. Her brain finial got up with her mouth, realized what she was admitting to, and now dug her self a rather large hole. Tahiri favored her with a raised eyebrow, the Jedi stare and a small smile as Rat squirmed in her seat. "I mean if … not that I would … I mean Little Brother and I could never … um I am just going to shut up now." She finished lamely and sinking it too her chair.

"Can you guess what else you will be doing?" Explosion Boy said over the rather loud laugher that had erupted in the room, Tahiri could even see the senior members having a hard time not laughing.

"I'll be in the mess hall for kitchen duty sir," she answered sinking even lower in her seat. Tahiri gave her a slight push on the shoulder; this Ratnena answered by a glare with her tongue sticking out.

"We should called you 'Mind Reader' Bora," Poster Boy said.

"You are the one the Shamed called 'The Jedi that was shaped'." Doc said, looking at her as if she was under a microscope.

"Yes," she answered simply.

"I have some questions I would love to ask you! Like the genetic make up of your cells now compared to …"

"I let her answer your questions after the briefing Doc, but we need to discuss some things first." Doc nodded in his agreement while Long Shot was still staring at her, happily if she was reading him right. Face noticed his attention also. "Is there a problem Long Shot?"

"Not now sir, I'm just glad we have a Jedi in our group! I mean what could possibly stop us now, hardly anything goes wrong with them around!" He answered honestly.

"You never worked with Jedi before, I can tell." Explosion Boy said as the room broke into laughter again. Tahiri flashed him a very human gesture and smiling sweetly. This produced more laughs, especially since she normally does not act in that manner. Tahiri was feeling very good, the atmosphere in the room was light and cheerful, not the anger and hostile like she imagined.

"Ok everyone, there is a very good reason why we are telling you this, since we had not planned to tell you until we were complete with training. Well you are now done and it is all Prankster fault." Everyone, except Face and Kell, looked around in surprise.

"_My Fault!"_ She screamed sitting up straight in her seat.

"When Starred and High were arrested we had all the gear packed up and shipped to the main brig as is standard procedure. That would have been the end of the story except right after that Tahiri began to get very moody, even moodier then normal for her. So I called Little Brother in my office to see if he might know what was going on in side that Yuuzhan Vong organ she calls a brain. When he rolled in, he detected a 'bug' in my office. For those who do not know Little Brother he is not a normal R2 Unit, he is programming with the normal astromach duties as well as some special intelligent gathering and slicing programs. He also has a program to detect listening and tracking devices. We do regular sweeps of the area and determined only two recruits had been in the room between the last sweep and Little Brother discovery."

"Starred and High," Tahiri said as pieces of the puzzle started dropping into place. That would explain her reaction to him, as if he was attacking her.

"Correct. This morning I got a call from the Colonel in charge of the M.P.s' here on Borleias. It seems that both High and Starred dies last night, in their cells, of sever hemorrhage and burst blood vessels in the brain."

"They both had strokes at the same time, that is impossible?" Doc said loudly."I don't believe it either," Science Boy, said facing Poster Boy, "the odds of that happing are too high to even bother with."

"Unless they were both encouraged to have the strokes, is that what you are thinking?" Charm Boy asked.

"I betting everything that who ever sent them here to spy arranged their release from jail. This was the first attempt to bug any place in the base since you all got here and it did occur right after that incident between Tahiri and Starred. Therefore, I am guessing that they were responsible since Starred was in my office alone while Explosion Boy was briefing me. I just don't know how they could have both died at the same time or why."

"Have they performed a autopsy yet?" Doc asked.

"No, I contacted General Sinclair and asked him to isolate the bodies till we get there. But before I send up a team I want some ideas on what it could have been that killed them." He looked at the three medical people, "can any of you think of any thing that could cause this?"

All three were silent for a minute but in the end, each looked at Poster Boy with troubled eyes.

"I will have to look at the bodies and run some test but nothing sticks out right now."

Poster Boy nodded his head and then addressed Tahiri.

"Lets assume it is the Peace Brigade at work here, with the help of the Yuuzhan Vong. Could the Shapers have given them something to kill them?"

"It is possible but I was thinking of something else, remember Tarc from the last time we were all here?" She asked reliving some sad memories, as her Tarc, who was only 12 at the time, had to relive a mistake everyday of his life. He allowed Senator Shesh, who died after the Fall of Coruscant, to change his appearance in exchange for his family getting passage off Coruscant when the Yuuzhan Vong attacked. She had him changed to look like a 12 year old Anakin Solo. Tahiri never heard if he found his family or not, but he had to live looking in the mirror everyday and seeing a stranger staring back at him.

"Yes I do," Face, answered sympatric knowing how she felt about the whole thing.

"The guy who sort of adopted him, he was under conditioning to spy for the Yuuzhan Vong while he was here. If he didn't do as he was told he would get headaches and he almost died from brain hemorrhage when he refused to assist them in capturing Colonel Solo."

"Yes, I remember him very well," Piggy answered, "also he passed all the security checks since it was implanted in his mind by force not by drugs or coral seeds. He could act normal because to all physical signs he was. The brain impulses only activated when he felt guilt for not completing his assignment."

"Yes, plus it would leave not trace in the blood system since the conditioning is actually causing the body to 'self-destruct' if you will." Tahiri added.

"Won't that make it harder to determined how they died?" Demolition asked.

"Not really," Charm boy answered, "it just gives us avenue to check if we don't find anything."

"Besides we might find out that it is nothing more then poison," Road Kill said then gave Tahiri a hard stare, "but that would leave the question, why were they sent here. To get a list of all of us or just you and if it is just for you then who had access to you coming here. I am taking from the security around your identity, you're being here is not common knowledge."

"It is not, the Jedi High Council are the only ones' who have knowledge of her being here." Poster Boy answered, "that is all that should know. See those two spies represent the whole reason we recruited you people. Somewhere there is a leak or a mole that is passing on information to smugglers groups, pirate groups and Peace Brigade since we have lost over a hundred agents since the end of the war. And it is not simple luck either, all the agents had deep covers and in position to keep us abreast of the their actions. Maybe the Peace Brigade could weed out a few but some of those pirate gangs could not find a Wookie at an Ewok family reunion. Our mission is to find the mole or leak and silence it anyway we can."

"So that leaves them here to get Sara … err mean Tahiri," Rat said, Tahiri could tell by her face she was thinking hard.

"Not necessary, they would love to have a list of us." Road Kill remarked, "No offense Tahiri but why waste the man power to track down one Jedi?"

"Well except if the mole is a good as Poster Boy says he or she or it is, they could get the list anytime they want but I am assuming even if we know who Sara is, the records would still show her as 'Sara Sandblaster' the annoying easily to embarrassed farm girl."

"You assume right Prankster, nice to see you are using that head for something other then to find ways to get me waken up on my leave." Explosion Boy said. "Actually for the record she is flying around the Unknown Region right now in her freighter with Little Brother."

"I am not a super genius or anything like Prankster or an analyst like Road Kill but should not we focus on who they really were and how they died, from that we may be able to determined why they were here." Angel interjected. "How they died could give us clues who they work for."

"True, ok we are dividing up in teams; Charm Boy, Science Boy, Doc and Tahiri will go and examine the bodies. Tahiri will use her unique Force awareness to help the medics' figure out how they died. Demolition, Numbers, Bit and Circuitry Girl; I want you guys to check our files here then go up to the main base and check their copies. I want to know any anomies in those twos' files that I missed when I screened them and I want any anomies in the rest if ours found also. Droid Boy and Lucky; I want you to take Little Brother and do a complete sweep of the entire base. Long Shot, Sure Shot, and Scavenger and Warrior Girl; I want you guys to examine the security here, change what is need. Boom-Boom, Explosion Boy, Road Kill and I will go through their gear at the base storage. Check it out see what surprises they might have left behind. Sparks, I want you to stay here and go through our communication equipment make sure they are secure. Junk Pile is waiting out front with hold out blasters and virob-knives for you; you are not to go unarmed until we know what we are up against here. Tahiri, is there anyway to hid your light saber on you?"

"I never had to hide my light saber before." She answered honestly.

"Sir, she is small enough we could give her a jacket with a pocket sewn inside to hold it." Scavenger suggested.

"Get with Junk Pile after this meeting, any more questions."

"Yes sir, what do we call Sara … I mean Tahiri, sorry going to take some time to get use to that." Rat said sheepishly. "Since you called her the Vong warrior …"

"_Yuuzhan _Vong." Tahiri said without thinking.

"Uh?"

"Sorry, it is proper to address them as Yuuzhan Vong, to call them just 'Vong' is a insult."

"It is?"

"Yes, you are saying that they are not worthy to be known by the gods." Tahiri could see, out of the corner of her eye, that the older Wraiths and a few of the new ones were getting amused; she wondered what she was setting her self up for now.

"Oh I did not know that." She said innocently, "thank you for clearing that up for me."

"You are welcome."

"So are we going to call her Vong Girl?" Rat asked Poster Boy, with that annoying sweet voice of hers. There was a new round of laughter going around the room.

"I am going to hurt you Rat." Tahiri said to her friend and was rewarded with a 'who me' look.

"We are not going to call her that, for one thing it is a dead give away as to who she is." Face said with a smile, "Plus I don't want her to go around breaking any one in half for insulting her. No, we will play safe for now, her call sign is 'Peacekeeper'."

__

Author's note, Just want to thank everyone for reading these stories and the reviews … below are a list of all the Wraiths

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Loran, Garik 'Face'; Leader, code name 'Poster Boy'

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Tainer, Kell; Major, code name 'Explosion Boy'

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Piggy, Major; code name 'Droid Boy'

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Nelprin, Shalla; Major, code name 'Warrior Girl'

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Targon, Elassar; Doctor, code name 'Charm Boy'

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Drayson, Behinda; Major, code name 'Circuitry Girl'

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Arnjak, Beljos; Major, code name 'Science Boy'

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Squeaky; code name 'Junk Pile'

Mantic; Captain W-1, code name 'Demolitions'

Elytra; Flight Officer W-2, code name 'Numbers'

Gerta; Flight Officer W-3, code name 'Doc'

Ta'lye; Flight Officer W-4, code name 'Lucky'

Deloni; Lt. W-5, code name 'Boom-boom'

Saint; Flight Officer W-6, code name 'Long shot'

Hall; Lt. W-7, code name 'Road Kill'

Alpha; Flight Officer W-8, code name 'Sparks'

Ruler; Flight Officer W-9, code name 'Scavenger'

Talnir; Flight Officer W-10, code name 'Bit'

Kertic; Lt. W-11, code name 'Sure shot'

Fruge; Flight Officer W-12, code name 'Angel'

Bora; Flight Officer W-13, Code name 'Prankster'

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Tahiri; Jedi Knight/Yuuzhan Vong Warrior Flight Officer W-14, code name "Peacekeeper'


	10. Chapter 10

Ratnena finished the pre-flight check on the assault shuttle that Sara … _Tahiri, her name is Tahiri_, she sternly reminded herself, and the rest of her team would be taking to the base. Explosion Boy was checking on the other shuttle that his team was taking. The brig and the hospital were on different sides of the base and each had their own landing fields. She was still adjusting to the idea that Sara … Tahiri … was a Jedi Knight, she just didn't seem to be as a pompous, know it all, boring as watching dust grow Jedi that she heard most of them were. She heard stories while in the military and the streets, jails and schools back home of them wearing robes, walking around as if they don't stink, granting the mere mortals their oh so precious time to help those who are not as great as they are. No, Tahiri was fun to be around, she liked to pull pranks, she was funny and never once talked down to anyone. Also she never acted as if she was 'greater' then anyone, she had always be polite, annoying polite at times, knew she had areas to work on. Tahiri was just a normal person to her. Of course there were a couple questions for Tahiri when she get home tonight, she had heard that Jedi can read your mind, she was not all that comfortable with that idea. Tahiri has been honest with her before, well to a point, so if she had she would tell her, and Rat would have to make sure she never did it again … in her own fun way, not the 'scream in pain' way she usually get revenge.

After she started the warm up phase, she went down the ramp and over to the shuttle that Explosion Boy was finishing up on.

"The other shuttle is all set."

"Good," Kell said pulling his head out of the landing gear, "you gave a complete sweep?"

"Yes, I didn't see any thing in the engine or other exposed areas of the ship, and I check the computer, I don't think it has been tampered with."

"Ok, when we bring back both shuttles you and I are going over them with a fine tooth comb. Circuitry Girl and Bit will check the programming at the same time. While we are gone I want you to check all 9 of the X-Wings we got here, starting with Peacekeeper's, make sure there are no surprises waiting for us. Get Sure shot and Demolitions disables whatever security codes they have in place. Vape and Nitro can help you."

"At least I won't have to go do mess duties tonight." She answered brightly.

"Something all our stomachs are grateful for," she just gave him a mock glare as he laughed, "oh yea here is a special project for you." He took out data chip from his shirt pocket. "There is a ship we are going to want to borrow with out anyone knowing we took it, the security lay out and location of the hanger is all in there. I want you to come up with a plan to get in, get the ship out and not let everyone for 5 systems know we been there."

"Oh, I knew I was going to like this assignment, do I get to steal a ship for myself too?"

"We are not stealing we are just borrowing it, we are going to give it back. Besides you fly as well as you cook."

She was going to respond when she saw Tahiri and Poster Boy walk in to the hanger. Tahiri was dressed in her typical style, she was wearing a white matted combat suit, closed up all the way to her neck, and a matching jacket and boots.

"Don't you guys have to wear those robes?" She asked the duo walked up to them. Tahiri scrunched up her face and made a disgusted noise.

"No, the rest do but I don't! When they found the 'old Tahiri Veila' on Tatooine she made them promise that she didn't have to wear any robes or footwear. She has had enough of that being raised by the Tusken Raiders. I will wear shoes but there is no way I am going to wear robes."

"The old 'Tahiri Veila'?"

"The fashion discussion is going to have to wait ladies," Poster Boy said shooting a strange look at Tahiri. "I need to talk to Explosion Boy for a second, why don't you two go and do one finial check on the shuttle."

"Yes sir," they said in unison, saluted and left the two older men.

"So you really are some country farming hick after all."

"I am from Tatooine, yes." Tahiri said giving Ratnena a strained patient look. "I was found there by the Jedi, I had been raised by the tribe of Tusken Raiders who killed my parents when I was 3 years old."

"Oh," Ratnena said lamely, not sure how to proceed with that line of discussion.

"It is ok, I have come to terms with it a long time ago in a way." Tahiri said walking up the ramp.

"Are you reading my mind?"

"No," Tahiri answered quickly and looking embarrassed. She looked around the hanger and pulled Ratnena up the ramp. Ratnena couldn't help but be amused by how Tahiri was blushing again. "I can't just read some ones mind. For one thing it is forbidden to do that without the other persons permission. Second it rare to actually hear what one is actually thinking, it is more like I can feel what you are feeling. I have been forbidden from using the Force through out training but … well," she broke off turning red. "We been around each other a lot and become close friends so it is easier to 'hear' what you are feeling, even though I have _not_ been trying, then for me to 'hear' anyone else here. Anyways you 'leak'."

"What do you mean?"

"You 'leak', you have a lot of strong emotions and those are the easiest to 'hear'," Tahiri said looking more and more uncomfortable and blushing harder. "Standing near you sometimes is like standing next to a hypercomm. antenna, it is hard to block out your emotions."

"So the stronger feeling I have the harder it is for you to ignore them?"

"Yes, basically." Ratnena watched as Tahiri started to turn purple, "Will you stop _that!_"

"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Ratnena said laughing. "Can you 'hear' everyone like you can 'hear' me?"

"No, strangers are always the hardest and they have to be really strong emotions for me to understand them. But the closer I become to a person and the more time I spend around them the easier it is." She walked toward the shuttle controls and sat down in the pilot's seat. "Sometimes it can get really strong, like with Anakin Solo."

"Is that the name of your boyfriend that you are always talking about but would never name?" Ratnena asked from the co-pilot's chair.

"Yes, we were very close and sometimes we could actually hear words from each other." Ratnena studied Tahiri face; she was struggling to keep it neutral.

"What happened to him, you never talk about him in present tense? Did you guys get in to a fight or something?"

"No, he died just before the Fall of Coruscant, we were on a mission for the Jedi and he was injured. He never made it back home."

"Oh, sorry," Ratnena answered lamely, she had been lucky really no one she has ever really cared about died. Sure she knew people who had been killed or died but she was never affected for long by their deaths. Tahiri, unfortunately, has not been that lucky. She looked out the view port and saw the rest of the Wraiths walking into the hanger. "Looks like the party is about to start."

"Yep," Tahiri said looking out the view port, "when I get back I let you in on all my secrets, is that ok with you?"

"As long as you don't eat any steaks while we talk, seriously I still don't know how you do it." Ratnena said getting up from the co-pilot's seat. "Just don't get in to any trouble without me, Jedi or no Jedi you can't have all the fun!"

"I will try not too, at least I won't get caught!" Tahiri called out as Ratnena walked to the hatch. At the hatch Ratnena stopped at looked at the back of the pilot's seat and let a wicked smile cross her face. "RAT, STOP THAT!"

"So they implanted all the warrior training and memories of that Vong directly into your brain cells?" Doc said from behind Tahiri in the passenger section of the shuttle. "That is impossible!"

"_Yuuzhan _Vong, and it is not impossible because they did it." Tahiri said in a distracted tone, she was splitting her attention between flying the shuttle and listening to Doc and Science Boy discuss her shaping. Elassar was sitting in the co-pilot seat, acting like he was enjoying the view but he was fidgeting with one of his lucky charms. "Relax Charm Boy, I am not going to leap over the seat and kill Doc for being so rude." She paused and then leaned around her seat to look at him, "yet."

"Ah you do so calm my mind." Elassar said while he and Beljos let out a laugh.

"My apologies Peacekeeper," Doc said as she turned back the controls, "this is still all new for me. I heard rumors about you but never imagined that I would actually get the chance. I would just love to know how they actually did it."

"The Shapers have a protocol called Qah, it allows the Shapers to implant memories, training or knowledge into a brain cell of a Yuuzhan Vong. Although they had to modified my cells drastically since human cells would reject the Qah enhanced cells."

"Think of it as the 'Flash training' they would give the clones back during the clone wars." Science Boy said, "Did you get that far along in your training?"

"Yes I see what you are getting at but those clones were empty vessels, so to speak, there was room for the training to be added. Tahiri, however, already had memories and feelings, I am surprise there was enough room for both sets."

"There were a few complications," Elassar said cautiously, looking over at Tahiri.

_Great now they are going to want me to tell him too!_ She really didn't like talking about this subject especially with someone she hardly knew.

"We need to tell him Tahiri, he is going to be the unit medic. He has to know the medical background on all you Wraiths."

"Sure why not, this is turning in too 'lets discuss the freak' day anyways."

"No one thinks of you as a freak Peacekeeper." Science Boy said quietly from the back.

"HA!"

"Ok let rephrase that as 'no one who knows what happen to you or is still happening to you' thinks of you as a freak."

"I hope I am not being rude Peacekeeper, I just want to know more about you so if in the event …" he stopped suddenly; Tahiri sunk deeper into her seat and griped the steering controls harder. "Did you say still happening to her?"

"Yes," Elassar said leaning over to Tahiri and placing a charm on the control stick while flashing her a smile while he talked to Doc. "We don't understand how or why but Tahiri's human cells and her Yuuzhan Vong altered cells are in a state of flux. They are merging into a unique human/Yuuzhan Vong cells, with properties of both. Her brain scans are fascinating to look at, her brain is almost completely filled with these new cells."

"So far it is just limited to her nervous system, but it is something you need to be aware of if you eve have to treat her."

"Are you saying that physiology speaking in relation to her nervous system she is Human/Yuuzhan Vong? Fascinating, has this been something going on since your shaping?"

"No," she said with a sigh, "we can't pin it down accurately but we think it was when the personalities of 'Tahiri Veila' and 'Riina Kwaad' merged to create me. You are right there is not enough room for two separate personalities to exist in a human body. Those two had fought each other to see which one would stay and which one would 'go away' but in the end they merged into a single entity and I was born so to speak. I am a product of both worlds both the good and bad."

It was quiet for a while, which suited Tahiri, while Doc digested that piece of news. She knew she would have to go through all this again with Rat but that was scarier then annoying as it was with Doc. Of course Rat's rejection would be more painful.

"Well Peacekeeper, I won't discuss this with anyone, except of course Charm and Science boy and you. I can imagine how awkward this could be, especially given the views on Yuuzhan Vong. Too bad it would be a interesting paper to published."

Tahiri slowly twisted in her seat and looked back at him and watched him squirm in his seat.

"I am _not_ a science experiment."

"Easy there Peacekeeper, lets fly the nice shuttle and not kill anyone on their first day." Elassar said gently redirecting her attention on her flying. "Don't worry her bark is always worst then her bite."

"Tell that to Lord Nynex, Charm Boy." Science Boy said with a smile in his voice, Tahiri snorted, that had been the first time and really one of the few times Tahiri Veila and Riina Kwaad worked together and the first time they could use both shades of the Force together. _Well,_ Tahiri thought,_ it would have worked even better if either one of them had realize they were working together._ "Once Tahiri has been around you for awhile Doc, she won't react that much. Why she only threats the rest of us once a week now."

"Ah you do so calm my mind." Doc replied doing a fair impersonation of Elassar. He did it so well that all three males burst in to a round of laughter; even Tahiri could feel a tug of a smile on her lips. "If I could ask how does this affect your Force abilities?"

"I am not hampered by the shaping if that is what you mean, I am as strong in the Force as any Human/Yuuzhan Vong Jedi around." She said evasively.

"But I thought you were the only one?"

"I am," she replied not giving out any more information then she absolutely need to. She contacted the hospital flight control and got landing instructions. "Strap in we are going in on final approach."

She saw out of the corner of her eye that Elassar had recognized what she was doing. That was ok, no one really known just how her Force skills had grown since the end of the war. As they flew up here she keep getting flashes of Yuuzhan Vong life in the forest below her. Again the thin line between the shades of the Force were getting blurred, she wondered if it was had anything to with her brain changes. It is a question she would like to ask these guys but held herself back. Too many of the Jedi and non-Jedi already think she is too much Yuuzhan Vong for their taste. All though many knew she could use 'Vongsense' like Jacen, no one knew that she had grown past that ability, and she was now seeing Yuuzhan Vong life as clearly as other Jedi seen the creatures of this galaxy.

She landed the shuttle right on target, without any assistance, and began the shut down procedure. _Anakin would be so proud!_ She thought as the rest of the crew unbuckled themselves.

"Remember code names only," Elassar said standing up, "and no references at all about Peacekeeper's skills. Let me do all the talking."

"Right," Science Boy said heading aft of the shuttle, "come on Doc, and help me get Igor." Igor was his droid he used to help him with his experiments in his lab. Igor was a 2-1B droid that had been heavily modified by the Wraiths to go beyond what most medical droids were capable of doing.

"So just how powerful is a Human/Yuuzhan Vong Jedi?"

"As powerful as we are." She said flashing him a loop side smile.

"All this openness and honesty is really getting sickening, you should try to be more closed mouth." Elassar said with a grin. "Alright, but you know it might help us understand and predict just how your shaping is going affect the rest of your body if we had more information. But right now we have to go see your old admirer."

"I bet he is still going to be stiff and closed mouth as he was the last time I saw him."

When they left the shuttle with Igor in tow they were greeted by two men, one introduced himself as the Doctor in charge of the hospital and the other was the district commander of the Military Police. Tahiri let the Force flow over her and got the feeling that they were very put out on being pushed aside like they were. Elassar was being smooth and professional with them, but staying firm about not having them in the examining room with them. They did show them to the morgue and offer any assistants that the Wraith would need. 

When they walked into the morgue the smell of death was strong, not as strong as Coruscant had been but still enough to make her feel discomfort. Lying on two tables was all that was left of High and Starred, their bodies looked as though they had been through a punching match. She felt bad even though she was sure that Starred, at least, meant to do her harm. To die as they had was not pleasant or pretty; _then again, _she thought, _how many pretty way to die were there?_

"Do you have the medical reports and reports from the brig?" Elassar said to the M.P.

"Yes right here," he said handing a data pad to Elassar.

"Ah capital," he handed off the pad to Doc and then motioned the two outsiders to leave the room. "Thank you for all your help we will call you when we are done." After they left, grudgingly left, Elassar activated the privacy lock and looked at Tahiri. She had already opened the case she brought and activated one of the scanners inside.

"Bug free," she reported a few seconds later.

"Ok Doc, copy that file and upload it into Igor. You and I will work on Starred, Science Boy and Igor will get High. Peacekeeper, after Doc gets done reviewing the medical part I want you to review the M.P.'s entries see if there is anything in there that will give you a clue as to what happened. Also stand by to go get food, I always get hungry during these things."

"Right, let me guess pasta with red meat sauce?"

Tahiri sat on one of the empty table watching in horrifying fascination as the three men and one droid worked on the shells that used to be men. They had been working on the bodies for about 8 hours, with only a couple breaks, talking in terms she didn't understand. Her job was to maintain security, read the reports, make sure all test were uploaded into her case, and be a gofer.

From the M.P.'s report it sound like they were affected like that holocamra man had been the last time they were here. Two days before they died they began to complain about headaches and becoming more unruly. Twelve hours before they died they had attempted two poorly planned escape attempts, became violent and more incessant that they had to leave or they will die. They both got so violent that they had to be restrained and put in separate isolation cells. While in the cells Starred became, if it was possible, even more agitated while High just laid on his bunk sobbing uncontrollably. When the guards finally noticed the hemorrhaging it was too late, they never even got to the medical ward of the brig before they died.

Tahiri was convinced that the Peace Brigade was behind the two would be spies and that they had help from the rogue Yuuzhan Vong. This had their prints all over it, do your mission or die; there was no middle ground. Both men knew that they were going to die and they tried to fight it. But the Shapers must have learned their lesson from the last time, their conditioning must have been so complete that they could not even tell the doctors why or how they were going to die. _Do your mission or die; there was no middle ground._

The way they died also told her a lot; it was painful, messy, dishonorable death that they would reserve only for those they felt were dirty and unredeemable to the gods. The kind of death that would filter it is way back to the others and serves as a warning, do your mission or die; there was no middle ground.

She has not yet shared her ideas with the other; Charm Boy wanted them to go in unbiased and open-minded. He had said that if went in with any predispositions they could easily miss a small but vital clue that would lead them down the right path.

"Negative, again!" Science Boy said tiredly from the read out screen on Igor.

"Well that was my last idea," Charm Boy said as he straightens up from his work.

"Are you sure he check for everything?" Doc said walking over to Igor.

Science Boy turned and gave Tahiri a questioning look, she responded by a small negative headshake. She had already looked at both bodies and felt nothing that would indicate Yuuzhan Vong material.

"No I am sure, they are just what they look like two healthy men who just happened to be dead." Science Boy said seating down on a stool, "the only thing wrong with them, besides the lack of get up and go, is elevated levels of adrenalin."

"Ok Peacekeeper, what is your report?" Charm Boy asked picking up a piece of chicken she got earlier.

"They both had complained about headaches for two days before they died. They claimed that they had to leave or they would die. The closer the deadline approached the more agitated they got, so bad they got they had to be put in isolation and in restraints. The guards noticed the bleeding but well you can guess what the end result was."

"Your expert opinion?"

"This smells of Yuuzhan Vong; messy, painful, dishonorable. It matches very closely with the other case."

The three men looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

"I don't have anything better." Doc said grabbing a piece of chicken also.

"It makes sense their bodies pumped out some much adrenalin it caused their blood pressure to go through the roof."

"Ok, Peacekeeper I want you to write that up in a report when we get back. Igor has all the information we are going to get. It is time to head back to base."


	11. Chapter 11

Face sat in the mess hall listening to the various reports from the different teams. The 'stiff team', as Ratnena called them, had just gotten back from the base so they decided that they would hold the briefing in the mess hall so the late arrives could grab bite to eat. The three medical men all declined saying that they eat earlier, Tahiri, of course, dug in as if she was never going to eat again. All of information the different teams had gathered was highly fascinating but none of it was going to lead anywhere but to a dead end. Tahiri's theory does seem plausible given what the three doctors had _not_ found in Starred and High but still nothing concert. Kell and his group went through their personal gear while Face dealt with the commander of the brig and then General Sinclair and they found two transmitters hidden in their personal hygiene kits. They were designed to look like a can of shaving soap; the can even ejected some soap to look authentic. Both transmitters were not hypercomm capable, so either they had to slice into one of the transmitters at the Wraith base or they were supposed to contact someone on planet. Piggy reported that no other listening devices or homing devices had been located; Little Brother had also check the programming in the MSE droids and they came up clean. Drayson and her team reported that who ever did up their identification did a very professional job.

"It is too good Poster Boy; it looks like something we would do."

"Or someone with the same equipment that we have access too." Bit had clarified; once again Face wondered just how far up the ladder this mole was or if there was more then one. "We think if we access the main computer on Denon we might get somewhere."

Shalla team's news was a lot better; they did not find any traps or bombs lying around the base. They also changed all the pass code keys and with Bit's help changed the pass codes to the computer systems.

Sparks check the communication equipment with equal results; however, they were going to contact anyone they never used the Wraiths system nor did they even attempt to make any new connections.

"I swear Poster Boy if it was not the fact that they both died under mysteries circumstances we would not even suspect anything has gone wrong around here." Demolitions stated while getting up and grabbing another cup of caf. "For a pair of spies they did a great job covering their tracks."

"Most great spies are like that, there are probably some places we have hit over the years that still have no clue we were ever there." Piggy said looking over the scant evidence, they have gathered. "Charm Boy are you sure there were no toxins of any kind?"

"There were atmospheric toxins still in the blood stream from the gases we all breathe here but not in the quantity that wouldn't even give them a small headache let alone kill them."

"Could the Von …" Bit started to say but she must have seen Tahiri head come up from the data pad she was reading because she cut her self off and started again, "Yuuzhan Vong have something that would have released a poison and that dissolved or something between the time of death and your examination."

"No, there would have been some trace of the agent somewhere in their bodies. No matter how much they bled, it wouldn't have flushed out completely." Science Boy said that as the other two nodded their heads. "Besides our Yuuzhan Vong expert would have found something also but she didn't."

"I heard the Jedi couldn't see the Yuuzhan Vong." Lucky asked snatching some food off Doc's plate.

"Peacekeeper is a special case," Face said distractedly as he watched Prankster fidgeting with something in her lap for the last half hour. "I'll let her explain it if she wants."

"Got to love the 'explain the freak' day." Tahiri said quietly.

"Please, I've been living with you for three months, I already knew you were a freak, especially the way you couldn't keep _your _clothes on when we first met." Prankster said sitting next to Tahiri. When Tahiri slaps her arm, she almost dropped what she was working on. "Watch it Vong, I don't want to drop this."

"What are you working on anyways?" Face jumped in to the conversation before Tahiri had time to say anything.

"Oh, I found this bomb attached to the secondary power leads to the S-foils in Sara … I mean Tahiri …. the Vong's X-wing. It had two sensor lead wires from that to the main power coupling on the hyper drive. See the sensor lead wires didn't draw any power they just let the bomb know that the hyper drive had been engaged the real power supply was the secondary power leads on the S-foils that way you wouldn't detect it until it goes 'boom'." She said not looking up at the growing horror on his face. Face was sure by the way, people were not making any noise they were also as surprised and horrified as he was. Moreover, since he knew more about her background then the new Wraiths … 

"Prankster how did you remove it." Kell asked as he slowly got up from his seat.

"Well after I disable it I just cut it out." Prankster seemed to be oblivious to the panic she was starting.

"How did you do that? And why didn't you tell anyone!" Demolitions asked moving towards her as Kell was.

"Explosion Boy said I could use his lab and work area if I ever need anything, so when I found this I went in there and read everything he had on bomb, besides Nitro was there." She did not look up until Kell snatched it out of her hands. "Hey, I am not done with that yet!"

While Kell and Demolitions looked over the device and everyone in the room started breathing again, Face spoke to her.

"Prankster, you are supposed to report if you found anything!"

"Oh, I guess I did not think about it," she said turning red, "I was so interested in where the bomb was and how it was installed that I kind of forgot, sorry."

"Prankster," Face said tiredly, wondering how Wedge ever learned how to deal with the Wraiths when he started them. _Surly none of us was this bad!_

"What do you mean you read everything I had on bombs?" Kell asked as Demolitions pull out a scanner from his hip pocket.

"Well I never worked on bombs before and I really didn't want to die, so I went in to read what I could. It was pretty easy once I knew how."

"Let me guess a photographic memory?" Sparks asked.

"Well, yea sort of."

"I don't care next time wait for me understand?" Kell said looking at the readouts. "What do you think?"

"Unquestionably non standard, it looks like a homemade job to me but put together really well." Demolitions said, "How far along did you get in opening it up, Prankster?"

"Well I had to finish the other X-wings and the shuttles when you all got back, so I didn't start until we started this meeting. Oh yea one other thing, it was deep in the engine."

"So they didn't do it here?" Kell asked as he watched Demolitions cracked open the outer casing.

"Uh you're sure that safe to play with Explosion Boy?" Shalla asked.

"Yea she did a good job disabling it. I'll make sure to praise her a lot as she is cleaning the hanger with a toothbrush."

"Great," Prankster said looking like she lost her best friend.

"If the stiff twins didn't do it here, then where could they done it?" Road Kill asked grabbing her cup of caf to control her shaking.

"How do you know they didn't do it here?" Piggy inquired.

"It was too deep in the engine; I had to remove all the coverings to even see it. I found the sensor lead wires on the hyper drive power line. I traced them back to the starboard S-foil motor. The secondary power supply is not something you do a routine maintains or during pre flight checks, so they tend to be deeper in the engine then the main supply lines. Explosion Boy or I could do the job quickly enough, say within couple hours but we still would not be able to do it unobserved."

"So what are you suggesting that it was attached before she arrived here?" Scavenger inquired as he watched the two bomb experts working next to him.

"I don't know," she said glaring at the two experts, "they took it before I could figure out how it was supposed to work."

"Keep this up Prankster and you clean the hanger and the mess hall with a toothbrush." Demolitions said with a grin, "Explosion Boy, this looks like a one shot deal, no timer or delay actions."

"Yea that what I'm thinking too, Prankster, which was easier to reach without tearing apart the whole ship, the bomb or the sensor leads?"

"The hyper drive, the leads were hooked in with gator clips."

"Those clips would never handle the jump to hyperspace." Demolition said looking over at Face, "Poster Boy, I bet that when they got a free minute they did nothing more then activate the bomb, maybe remote, and hooked it up to hyper drive."

"When she jumped the clips would fell off activating the bomb, simple easy and we would have never known what happened to her." Explosion Boy finished for him, "Prankster are there any other anomalies that might have slip your mind?"

No sir, Sa … Ta …I mean Peacekeeper's ship is the only one with anything on it."

Face and Kell exchanged looks, he did _not_ like where this was leading. If they were right then someone with access to the Jedi hanger had installed the bomb.

"What is so damn important about you Peacekeeper?" Road Kill asked, well yelled out. "We find a bomb and a major security leak on the same day and you seem to be involved in both?"

Tahiri looked over at Face, looking miserable; Ratnena gave her shoulder a squeeze while talking low to her.

"Peacekeeper, I know I told you that you did not have to tell them if you did not want to but …," Face said quietly.

"I know, I know … it that damn 'but' that keeps getting me in trouble you know."

"I believe that, I have heard that some people think you have a cute butt." Ratnena said with that deceptive sweet and innocent smirk. Tahiri gave her a smile that no one could mistake for sweet and said something in Yuuzhan Vong. Face and those who knew some Vong broke into laughter.

"I should wash out your mouth out young lady," Face said stretching, it had been a long day or he was just getting old.

"Yes sir!" Tahiri gave him a mocking salute. "Look everyone it is late we all have been busy today, I will explain everything tomorrow; if that is ok with you, sir?"

"Works for me," Face said getting up from his seat, "those of you on watch tonight don't take any chances. If you see something that is not right, call us for back up. Briefing at 0700, exercise at 0500 see you all there."

"So, what is the big deal?" Ratnena said after locking the door to their room after Sara … _Tahiri_ … Little Brother and her all got back. Little Brother immediately extended his antenna and did a complete scan of the room. Tahiri, meanwhile, had her head buried under her bunk, getting her nightclothes probably. "I mean what is so bad you don't want to share it with us?"

"It not them I am worried about, it is you!" she said angrily as she slammed her bunk down.

"Me? What are you talking about?" Ratnena grab a robe from her storage compartment, the one concision she made to Tahiri, and began shedding her own clothes. Tahiri remained silent as she took off her footwear and socks. "Come on Tahiri, give it up, we are friends you know."

"And I wanted it to stay that way, but after I tell you, you will hate me and push me away just like everyone else has!" She said as she went into the refresher.

"What are you talking about?" She said following her over and blocking the door so it could not close, "So you are a Jedi, big deal it has not made me like you any less."

"It is not that I'm a Jedi that has me worried," she said softly looking at Ratnena's reflection in the mirror, "it is the kind of Jedi I'm that you will hate."

"What? I do not understand. How could I hate you, I mean you are my friend …"

"Like that matters," she screamed out turning on Ratnena, "Luke said the same thing, so did Leia and Han, Mara, Jaina, Jacen, Corran, Sannah and the rest! They all have said the same thing for time to time but I know," Ratnena could see the tears start forming in her eyes; "they are just waiting for me to lose it. To fail, so they can get rid of me! I am the freak, the Jedi-the-who-was-shaped! The abominations even the Yuuzhan Vong wished I never was that I had been killed before I was exposed to the galaxy!"

Tahiri slid down along the wall, with tears running down her face. Ratnena did not say anything she just sat down next to her and held her hand.

"See, the old Tahiri Veila was captured by the Yuuzhan Vong when she was 14 on Yavin 4. She was supposed to go with the others to a place were they would be safe until helped arrived. However, she wanted to stay with Anakin Solo, to prove to him that she was not a child but someone who was just as strong as he was who was worthy to stand by his side. Anakin Solo was her best friend, her first real friend in her life! She grew up in the deserts of Tatooine; surrounded by Sand people many of them did not want her around either. He meant the world to him, she would have done anything for him, followed him anywhere he lead, she couldn't stand the idea of him fighting the Yuuzhan Vong without her. However, she screwed up, she was captured by the Yuuzhan Vong and they did experiments on her, forbidden experiments. The Shapers implanted memories and skills of a Yuuzhan Vong warrior, some one named Riina Kwaad, into Tahiri Veila's brain. Anakin Solo raced to her rescue and he was successful in saving the old Tahiri Veila, helping her escape. Riina Kwaad was suppress and locked away deep within Tahiri Veila's subconscious. Then Anakin Solo died and part of the old Tahiri Veila died with him. A couple years later Riina Kwaad got stronger and forced a challenge with Tahiri Veila over who had control over their body." Tahiri looked up at Ratnena, she could see the pain and uncertainly in Tahiri's eyes. "There were two separate and complete personalities, souls if you will, trapped in one human body. One was human the other was Yuuzhan Vong, two different beings that could no more be separated then someone could unscrambled an egg."

"So there are, like, two of you in there?" Ratnena asked not quite following what she was saying.

"Not any more, just before I turned 17 the two personalities had an acknowledgment that they could not destroy the other without dying too. They had to find a way to accept each other or they would both fall into a state of madness with no end. They 'merged', combined the best and worst of the human and Yuuzhan Vong worlds. And as a result of that merging I was 'born' so to speak, I am neither Yuuzhan Vong nor Human but a combination of both."

"Really?" Ratnena said taking that all in, "so what is like, you act like a Vong half the time?"

"_Yuuzhan _Vong and no, I have both of my 'parents' memories and knowledge but neither is really complete. I am me, not them."

"So it is like this 'old Tahiri' and Riina are your mothers and you are them but you still yourself?"

"Yes," Tahiri looked at her with a guarded look, as if waiting for something.

"Why did you keep the name Tahiri?"

"Beats me, it was the first name that came to me after I came out of the merging."

"Wow that is like, you know, weird that you would chose that name over any other, so what is the bad part?"

"What! Ratnena that _is_ the bad part!"

"Uh, I've missed something then, what is so bad that you wanted to keep hidden from me?"

"I just told you, I am literally half human and half Yuuzhan Vong!"

"What? That is it, that what had you worried because of who you are?" Ratnena said, Tahiri threw her a look that suggested she was out of her mind, "What?"

"You really don't get it do you?" Tahiri said with a smile and gave her a hug, Ratnena could feel her crying some more.

"_What?"_

"You're the best Rat." Ratnena was completely lost she just let Tahiri cry. She knew that sometimes she could be a bit strange when it came to her emotions so she did not think any thing was too strange, she just wished that Tahiri would tell her what the big deal was. "You see, everyone I know seems to be waiting for this big bad Yuuzhan Vong part of me to come out and destroy the galaxy or something. The kids that the old Tahiri Veila grew up do not understand me and the adults are afraid of me, well not afraid but very guarded. Even Han and Leia, whom are almost like my adopted parents and love me as if I was their daughter, even they sometimes … you know, they don't mean too but …" Tahiri said letting her voice trail off.

"So what, it is not like just because you are Vong that does not mean you are evil. Sure, there are some nasty Vong out there but I remember hearing about those shamed ones or whatever they call themselves, they joined our side in the end. Anyways no one who plays the kind of jokes like you play can be evil." Ratnena said dismissively, "here I thought it was something really bad."

"Like what?" Tahiri said with a confused look on her face.

"I don't know, maybe you were the granddaughter of some evil warlord or something. You know something bad."

"No, but Anakin Solo's grandfather was Darth Vader."

"You're joking!"

"No, Darth Vader name was Anakin Skywalker, the father of Luke and Leia. As smart as you are you didn't know that?"

"Who studies ancient history anyways?" She said dismissively, she was about to rub Tahiri's head but held back at the last minute, no sense in annoying the girl. "Anyways I'm sure that we all have some classified past we rather not share with anyone."

"Yea, what is hiding in your closet?" Tahiri said breaking the embrace and sitting back on her legs. She was still crying but she had a smile on her face. "Come on I bared my soul to you, now it is your turn."

"I uh …" Ratnena not liking where this conversation was, "I would love to tell you, you know that but …" she stopped as an idea hit her "… I cannot. I am under orders from Poster Boy not to discuss it with anyone until training was over." She gave her roommate a cheerful smile she hoped would convey the right message to her.

"Oh, so you are under the same restrictions that I am under." Tahiri said with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Yes," Ratnena said with just enough sorrow in her tone to convey the sense that she would tell if she could, "you understand, if Poster Boy found out …" she let her voice trail off.

"Oh yea I understand," Tahiri said looking down crested, "but you would tell me if you could."

"In a Kessel second, we are friends and friends need to be honest with each other …"

"True."

"… Can trust each other no matter what …"

"I agree."

"… and if you can't trust your wingman and partner who can you trust?"

"No one, I agree totally, that why I been so moody lately, I had to keep this big secret from everyone here. You, most of all, need to hear the truth about my unique condition because you are exposed by it more then anyone else, I mean now you will understand why I act a certain way. I hope that you will be able to help me learn more about myself, how to control myself. My biggest fear is losing control and putting you in a position where some one might hurt you to stop me." Tahiri took a deep breath and gave her a sun bright smile, "the longer I had to wait the worst it got for me. I kept imagining all these horrible reactions you would have to my secret and well I am sure you understand."

"I think I do," she reached out and took the younger woman's hands in hers, "true friends learn how to look beyond all that and just trust that the other person wouldn't hurt them."

"I agree, now what is your terrible secret?" Before Ratnena could say, anything Tahiri held up her left and to stop her from speaking, "wait, don't tell me. You were kicked out of your last command for pulling pranks?"

"Well … you could call it a prank, I called it a harmless prank, but they kind of called it 'attempted murder'."


	12. Chapter 12

The man walked towards the command center without haste, without fear; he knew his news was not favorable but not life threatening bad. After all the two worms who failed had already paid the price, he just had to let Nor Hur know that the Wraiths may have discovered their plans. He knew that Nor Hur would not be pleased but there was nothing they could do now, except modified their attack plans.

He had known Nor Hur since joining the Peace Brigade back before Coruscant, back before Duros when the Peace Brigade was first starting. Nom Anor had gathered some of the worst scum of the galaxy to help tear down the so-called New Republic from with in, to help blaze the trail for the rest of the Yuuzhan Vong fleet. The man had just escaped from the so-called Empire that Pellaeon had constructed, a pale and shallow creature that was nothing like the Empire he had been born to serve. Therefore, when he heard about a chance to get revenge against not only the damn rebels _but also_ the Empire, he joined in a heartbeat. What he found when he got there was a joke of galactic proportions, he wonder how these Peace Brigade _creatures_ ever hope to complete their missions and why Nom Anor had even bothered to use them. Of course, he knew one reason, disposable shock troops. Why waste valuable troops with jobs that anyone could do? Nevertheless, many times these so-called shock troops could not complete even the simplest task.

He had been lucky that he fell in with Nor Hur early in his career; Nor Hur was like him in many important ways. He wanted to use the Peace Brigade to unhinge the enemy's fortress but he knew they would only cause more trouble then they were worth. Therefore, he took the best of the Peace Brigade and used them for the more delicate jobs. Unlike many of Nom Anor's projects, which failed disastrously, Nor Hur had a track recorded of successes all over the galaxy. Moreover, unlike Nom Anor, Nor Hur never got the recognition he deserved for destabilizing many areas of the galaxy. Which in hindsight, after the defeat at Coruscant, a blessing in disguised?

After the surrender of the Yuuzhan Vong at Coruscant, a few of the Domains ignored the dishonorable recall and firmed up their control in Hutt Space. By ones and twos, battle groups and fleets, even a few world ships had shown up, all declaring their renewed belief in the gods and their holy obligation to wipe out, not only the infidels, but also the traitors living on the anti-god Zonama Sekot. A ruling council of the highest ranked Warrior, Priest, Shaper and Indent has labored long and hard to bring some kind of order to the crumbling foundation of their society. They took many needed steps such as all infidels in their service must be fitted with slave seeds, no exceptions. He had one implanted in his skull but it did not interfere with his tactical abilities or his movements so it didn't bother him too much, after all sacrifices are for the glory of the gods. In addition, for those agents working under deep cover in the Galactic Alliance, Imperial and many of the other inferior governments, they were under conditioning that would kill them if they step out of line or failed in their mission. The two nothings that had died on Borleais were such examples of how well the conditioning had worked. 

Another step they took was to kill all the Shamed Ones found in the new Yuuzhan Vong territory, they were all heretics and their role in the downfall at Coruscant was well known. Infidels captured over the short four years of war and some raids they still conduct on GA worlds replaced their lost.

The Purges didn't stop with the Shamed Ones; any heretics found had a chance to renounce their sins and go through the purifying process if they survived then they given a second chance. The man idly wonders just how many actually survived the purifying, not many that he has seen. However, it did not matter really, the Heretics had been blight on the galaxy since they arrived, and all forms of heresies needed to eradicate if the gods were to favor the Yuuzhan Vong again. Even as an infidel, he knew the Truth and even though he will die, once the infidels are gone, he believes in the Truth as deeply as the Yuuzhan Vong did. 

He stopped outside the portal to the command center, bowing submissively to the guards standing in front of the door. He hates this part most, acting as if these mere foot soldiers were not only his equal but also his superiors. However, he did understand some battles that had to be ignoring to achieve the higher goal. Like the teaching of the Yuuzhan Vong, sacrifices are for the glory of all. He would endure the humiliation, as he had endured the slave seed, the Embrace of Pain, The Pit of Truth; all was worth it as he help plot the destruction against those who tried to destroy him. When he walks before Pellaeon, Talon Karrad and that witch Shada D'ukal and let them see the instrument of their destruction … all this will pale in the glow of victory on that day, the year he spend in BACTA will wash away , the injustice of the years behind bars. To see that day he would suffer all insults from anyone and anything.

Without a word or even a glance, the guards opened the portal and allowed him access into the antechamber, once inside he was lead to the main command room by a young female warrior, barely out of childhood if her size and tattoos were correct. In the main control room, he found Nor Hur in conference with several priest/seers, the portals between the will of the gods and the Yuuzhan Vong, a few of his fellow warriors and a Slayer. The Slayers were a priest/warrior sec that was considers more of an abomination then a true Yuuzhan Vong. However, they were gifts from the gods to assist the Warriors to eradicate the Jedi, who many now believe to be agents of the anti-god, which have foiled many of the gods' true wishes and rumored to be use by the anti-god to drive Shimrra insane.

When he entered no one noticed him or greeted him, he was an infidel after all. He just assumed the proper position and wait for his commander to acknowledge his existence. For Nor Hur he would wait a lifetime, Nor Hur was a warrior who had one goal to destroy all the infidels. Unlike the trice cursed Nom Anor, who always was trying to raise through the ranks and always looked out for number one, Nor Hur always kept his eyes on the grander picture, keeping his missions simple and on target, and kept his mind on who he truly serves, not his leaders, his Domain, or anyone but the gods themselves. That is why he now commands the vast intelligent network and Nom Anor is dead.

"Is the Abomination there?" Nor Hur barked out at last.

"Unknown, they got sloppy and died," he replied simply in Yuuzhan Vong, unlike many of the other infidels he learned the gods' tongue.

"Explain."

"They were arrested after a night of drinking, they performed sins against the gods' wishes, and they were arrested and waiting trail when they died."

"Does the Abomination know of them?" The Slayer asked, the man did not know his name or if any of them had names, they are just Slayers.

"Yes, my contact in the commander's office reported to me before I was summoned. With the news I just passed on, he also informed me that the Wraith sent a team that included Sara Sandblaster to the morgue to exam the bodies."

"That is the name that those two had suspected to be the Abomination?"

"Yes."

"Nor Hur, I wish to go to Borleais and do battle with the Abomination, that must be her or else why would they kill our operatives?"

"How did they die?" Nor Hur asked after a lengthy pause.

"They failed to communicate at the precise moment."

"Interesting," Nor Hur said the man remained in proper position; one knee down, head bowed, arms crossed against his chest. Even though he could not see the commander's face, he knew it was twisted in concentration. "Now that they have proof of our spies among them, their next step would be to run down any leads to find out how they slipped in their mist so easily. It could take several weeks to exhaust the entire false and misleading trap we have out there."

"I shall hunt them down until I have found the …"

"No, there is an easier way to hunt, Slayer." Nor Hur said cutting him off, "our missions complement each other here. I propose that we go to Borleais and wait for them to return. I will send 28 of my best warriors …"  
"I need no help I am a Slayer!"

"They are not there to support you," Nor Hur said smoothly and quickly, "they will kill the lesser beings while you dispatch the Abomination."

"Why go to Borleais then? If you are correct they will have to slit up to hunt down the source of our worms?" One of the other warriors asked.

"No, as I said our mission travel on the same road. As with a Herat, if you attack one the rest will not be so easy prey. However, if you let them all get home, where they feel is safe, you can wipe out an entire pack without losing a single warrior."

~~~~~~~~~~~

Face watched the reaction of the new Wraiths after Tahiri finished her briefing on her self. Most of the new people looked disturbed by the news, which Face could understand; it was hard to understand a Human/Yuuzhan Vong Jedi. It would take a few mission and a few days for them to be entirely comfortable around her again. Ratnena, on the other hand seemed, to have no problems adjusting to Tahiri, she sat through the whole briefing eating one of her sweet sticks, looking bored and interrupting with some snide comments from time to time. Face knew that his instincts where right about those two, they had the makings of a great team. Moreover, they haven't tried killing each other yet or anyone else.

"We know that this is going to take some getting use to, but we ask you to trust us on this one fact. We would not have let her joined if we didn't trust her with our lives." Face saw several of the older members, such as Demolitions and Doc, nodded their heads while some like Road Kill still looked concerned. "We have worked with her in the past on a mission which is still classified but I can tell you this much. If Tahiri hadn't been there it is very likely we would have all been killed or worst."

"What happened were you locked in a food factory and the Vong had to eat an escape tunnel?" Ratnena asked, looking and sounding perfectly innocent.

"_Yuuzhan _Vong!" Several of the Wraiths yelled out before Tahiri could, she looked around the room sheepishly and started blushing. Face could feel the some, but not all, the tension leak out of the room as they all laugh at the Wraiths new comedy team.

"Anyways," Face said trying hard to sound official, "we still have a problem to deal with, who is trying to kill Peacekeeper and why were those two sent here."

"I have an idea if I may?" Piggy said from his end of the table, when Face gave him the go-ahead he turned to look at Tahiri. "We all have noticed that during your time here that there was one threat we could use that was guaranteed to get a reaction out of you and I was hoping you would elaborate as to why Zonama Sekot was such a terrible alternative to you."

"Yea I thought that it was like paradise to you Jedi." Lucky asked.

"Well it is supposed to be, all the Jedi and Yuuzhan Vong have felt to various degrees a kinship almost to Sekot. There is just something over powering about Zonama Sekot that attracts you there and makes everything seem like …" Tahiri stopped, her face one of concentration, "it is really hard to describe. Jacen Solo wanted to stay but he felt if he did, he would never leave, as did the rest of the Jedi. Many of them said it was the hardest thing to do was to leave Zonama Sekot when it was ready to return to the Unknown Region."

"Sound like a drug addiction," Angel said softly.

"But you didn't like it?" Ratnena said no cheer on her features as she watched her friend struggle with the question.

"No, for me it was almost too overpowering. I always felt as if I …" again, she paused, "it was like I knew if I stayed I would fulfilled a prophecy that I have been avoiding."

"What prophecy?" Boom-boom asked watching her closely. Tahiri explained the prophecy that Anakin Solo had of her while on Yavin 4, before his rescue of the Old Tahiri Veila. She also went on to explain why most if not all the Masters believed that she had passed that prophecy and what visions were. "But you felt if you stayed on Zonama Sekot you would turn into that Yuuzhan Vong?"

"As crazy as it sound, yea. Since I have left, I no longer have any misgivings about not being there. It is like the weight of the galaxy left me when I left Zonama Sekot, it might be because I am more sensitive to the Force around Sekot given my duel nature." She stopped and made a face, "or it could be from the way the other Yuuzhan Vong treated me."

"I thought that the Yuuzhan Vong treated you as if you were their savior?" Circuitry Girl asked getting up to get a cup of caf. "From what we learned you figure prominently in their new religion."

"Yea wasn't there a whole movement based on your shaping on Yavin 4?" Road Kill said while reading something from her data pad.

"No," she said in a firm voice, but Face could hear a trace of the pain she still felt about the lost of Anakin Solo, "Anakin Solo's actions were what the Shamed Ones worshiped. I was very much a secondary player. Anakin started the Heretic movement that Nom Anor later used to thwart the Yuuzhan Vong power structure. Moreover, that was the second part of the problem on Sekot. The Yuuzhan Vong there don't hate me but they rather not have me around or breathing for that matter."

"They see you as the ultimate abomination." Face could tell by Piggy's tone that she had answered the question the way he thought she would.

"Yes," Tahiri said with relief in her voice, happy no doubt, that finally someone understood what she has been trying to explain.

"I don't get it." Numbers said from her end of the table confusion radiating from her head tails.

"The Yuuzhan Vong Dogma is very structured, strict and not to be questioned." Kell explained to her, "When the shapers re-made Tahiri they were committing the worst sin against the gods they could."

"Basically, the Yuuzhan Vong believes that all that is known is locked away in the Cortexes that were handed down from the gods to the first Yuuzhan Vong. The protocols have not changed in the past thousands of years; to experiment was to question the protocols, to question the gods themselves." Tahiri stopped and looked at each member around the table before moving on, "some say that my shaping is what sealed their doom."

"Wait a minute," Angel said shaking her head, "I heard that the Yuuzhan Vong accepted that they were wrong about their gods, that Zonama Sekot was the true path."

"Only a few actually accept that explanation, they are going through a serious cultural shock right now."

"Besides it is easier to blame two dead shapers and one young girl then to accept the blame yourself." Ratnena said from next to Tahiri.

"What the Yuuzhan Vong there think is immaterial right now, except in the fact that if they feel Tahiri is the source of their problems then there is a good chance that the Yuuzhan Vong who sent those two to spy on us would believe it also."

Face was surprise to see Ratnena lean forward and narrow her eyes at Piggy; he could see a storm cloud building on her face. Tahiri jerk back as if she touched a livewire.

"Rat?"

"I don't like where this is leading to sir." She said in a low voice to Piggy.

"Nor do I, Prankster, but it is logical."

"Like hell it is, that won't solve their problems. Anyone with a half a brain can see that, sir."

"Again, I agree if they were rational, which we both agree that they are not."

Face looked down at Ratnena glaring at Piggy and Piggy staring, unflinching, back at her. Everyone else, Tahiri and he included, stared at each other with a look of bewilderment on their faces.

"Ok for those of us who aren't super geniuses," Shalla said breaking the silence, "could you two clue us in on what you are thinking or are we going to have to bring in Junk Pile to translate."

"He is suggesting that they have to kill Tahiri or else the gods will never help them," Ratnena said.

"Whoa," Long shot said looking at Piggy, "sir that is a stretch."

"If my logic is at fault please show me where." Piggy said to Ratnena, expressing as much sympathy as he could. When she slumped, back in her seat Face knew that Piggy was right, no matter how much he wished that he were wrong.

"Piggy, you and Ratnena, I am assuming, think that the Yuuzhan Vong believe that as long as Tahiri is alive they will never succeed in conquering the galaxy."

"Correct Poster Boy, Tahiri is a symbol to some on Zonama Sekot to all that went wrong during the war; the ones in Hutt space are even more orthodox. There are three visible symbols in the downfall of the Yuuzhan Vong, Zonama Sekot, the Jedi and Tahiri. We do not have yet to see any movement against the Jedi, nor against the planet, however do we find two attempts to locate and kill Tahiri within days of each other."

"Or they could choose her because she would be the easiest to kill first."

"Maybe but I must disagree for now, Tahiri is a living example of heresy for all to see. Yavin 4 is where the Shamed Ones began to look to the Jedi and not to their gods for redemption; Yavin 4 is where heresy practiced openly for all to see. Those in power could not cover it up, eject it out into space or dismiss it as unproven rumor. They would have to kill her to at least to prove to others that the gods are looking favorable on them again."

"Sir," Road kill said leaning forward, "I hate to say this but that makes a lot of sense. Prankster?"

"I don't like it."

"I don't like it either Prankster," Face said watching her closely, "but does it make sense?"

"It makes sense," she said, when she looked up her eyes were blazing, "so who do we kill to protect the Vong?"

"First we have to find out if Piggy's theory holds water, to do that we need all the information we can get." Face said thinking fast, he hadn't planned to send out any missions yet but with this new information, they need to get a chokehold on the Peace Brigade as soon as possible. "We need to track down Hill and Starred, find out who they really were and where they came from. No offence to the flight leaders but I am going to assign vet. to each one of you. They can help you all get the information we need."

"First flight, you and Warrior girl will track down High, third flight and Circuitry girl will track down Starred. Explosion Boy, Droid Boy, Charm Boy and Peacekeeper, you will go find an old friend of ours, he maybe able to help us."

"I finished that special project for Peacekeeper; you want to try it out now?" Science boy asked Face thought about it for a half a minute before nodding his head. "Come on I got a surprise for you."

"Oh," she said with a fake smile and getting up from her seat, "I just love surprises."

"And second flight and I are going to Denon, we will be going in uniform and exposed. I want to look in that central computer. Any questions?"

"Uh?" Ratnena said from her seat.

"You and Little Brother are staying behind this time. Any more questions, no get together and come up with a game plan. I want you off planet as soon as possible." Face said getting up and trying hard not to look at Ratnena, he hoped Kell get a chance to talk to her before she does anything stupid.


	13. Chapter 13

Ratnena was sure she looked like an idiot, sitting there with her mouth open and her sweet stick in her hand stopped half way to her mouth, she knew this little fact but she didn't care. _I'm staying behind!_ She sat there furious, her best friend is number one on the Scar Heads' hit parade and they want her to sit here on her butt while Tahiri ran around dodging bugs! She looked at the others, as they made good on their escape, most sent her looks of understanding and support. _Of course, they can be understanding they have a mission while I stay here and baby-sit an empty base! _After sitting in an empty room for a few minutes, she jumped up and went on a hunt for Poster Boy. She had been somewhat good for the past 3 months, she hadn't really caused that much trouble, and in fact, if it weren't for her they would have never found the two spies. That had to count for something, didn't it?

She was half way to his office when Explosion Boy stepped out from nowhere to block her path. 

"Good I was looking for you, follow me."

"Sir request permission to speak to the commanding officer!" She answered, not aware of the look of murder in her eyes, as she tried to push past him.

"You will have plenty of time to kill him later; I need to show you something first." Explosion Boy grabbed her arm and literally pulled her down the hallway. She argued the whole way to Science Boy's lab that she wasn't going to kill anyone just talk to him. Explosion Boy of course didn't believe her.

When he showed her the way through the door, pushed her really, she saw Science Boy talking to a young man who looked to be around her age and about her height, he had an unruly mope of sandy brown hair and a wicked looking scar across his throat. As she looked around for Tahiri, she could feel his green eyes traveling up and down her body.

"So what do want to show me?" She asked ignoring the strange.

"I see the Wraiths entertaining girls standards have fallen drastically." He said with a horse voice, which suggested some serious damage to his vocal cords and a sneer on his lips.

"Trust me little man, I am more woman then you could handle." She said giving him a praetor grin, she was surprise by his comments usually she had to beat guys away from her not have them dismiss her. However, she had no time for games she had a commander to talk to, just talk. "Sir, permission to go kill … err I mean, talk to Commander Loran."

"I doubt that missy I know your kind." He said walking towards her.

"Oh and what kind is that?" She gave him her best and sweetest, 'touch me and you bleed' look.

"The kind that expects men to go to pieces when they met you." He said scratching his nose. Ratnena was about to make another comment when she saw his face _split open_! She watched in horror as his … _her _… _Tahiri's_ face was reveled as the fake skin peeled away and stopping when it reached her collar. Still talking in that ruined voice, but with her bright smile on her face, she said, "See I am just like putty in your hands."

"What, … how, … I mean wow that is like totally astro!"

"This is our latest piece of equipment; just like the fake skin the Yuuzhan Vong wears to imitate us." Science Boy said walking over to the pair. "We have several Yuuzhan Vong models. Those were just head coverings where this is a full body suit. I designed it so Tahiri could travel easier without worrying about getting recognized."

"I wished we could offer all the Wraiths these, it would make intrusions much easier, but there are problems with these suits." Explosion Boy said joining them.

"What is the problem? Can I try on one?" Ratnena said walking around Tahiri feeling her 'skin'. She couldn't help but be amazed at how real it felt or warm, she would have thought it would feel more like fabric then real skin. "How did you get your voice to sound like that?"

"Remember the translator worm I told you about last night? This is a variation of that, this creature is lodge in my throat and constricts my voice box until the desire sound and tone is achieved."

"Astro hey let me try a suit on please." She said turning to Science Boy

"You shouldn't Rat …"

"Why not? Did it hurt you?"

"I have a training piece here Prankster, just roll up your sleeve." Science boy said grabbing a piece of green something from the table.

"Rat, trust me you …"

"Come on Vong if it didn't hurt you, why should it hurt me." Ratnena said rolling up her right sleeve. "What does it feel like?"

"Now stand still please."

"Rat, look to me it is a tickling sensation but …"

"See, how could it hurt if it tickles you and … AAAHHHHHH! Get it off! Get it off!"

"… to you it will be painful, especially since …" She could barely hear Tahiri as she tried to rip this thing off her arm

"Stop screaming you are scaring it!"

"It's trying to eat my arm and stop laughing Kell!"

"I'm not laughing at you but with you and …"

"Get it off, it hurts!"

"… more you move the tighter of a grip it will get on your arm!"

"It is not eating your arm, stop running around and I get … Explosion Boy grab her!"

They were able to get Ratnena to stop running around long enough for them to get that thing off her arm. When she looked down on her right arm she expected it to have a huge hunk taken out, but it was still perfectly fine.

"… my nervous system can handle more pain then human norm." Tahiri finished standing where she had been when the whole thing started. Ratnena walked over to her, slapped her in the shoulder and glared at her.

"You said it tickled!"

"No," Tahiri said letting a small smile cross her face and her eyes dancing with amusement. "I said it is tickling me. In fact, I'm getting the impression it is enjoying tickling me."

"It, it's alive!"

"Well of course …"

"Ewe!" Ratnena said not even trying to suppress the creepy feeling shooting thru her.

"Peacekeeper, why don't you go take him off for now. Moreover, remember both of you, this is not something you should talk about, even to the other Wraiths. We don't want to freak them all out in one day." Science Boy said when Kell and he walked over to the two women.

"Yes sir," Tahiri said, walking toward the other room to change into her normal clothes. Once inside they could hear her laughing and telling the suit to quit tickling her.

"Jedi are so weird."

"Wait till you are married to one Bora," Explosion Boy said with a snort, "anyways there is a reason you are not going out with the other. Do you want to know why or would you rather just go kill Face now?"

"I am all ears sir." Ratnena did listen closely and the more she heard the more she was willing to 'stay home'.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So there she was running around the lab, screaming and waving her arm around," Kell said from the co-pilot seat. Tahiri was piloting the shuttle to the first hyperspace jump point, Kell was having her do most of the flying, citing that he and the others already have enough hours logged in the pilot seat. Tahiri didn't mind one bit, as was the case when she was flying the _Double Trouble_, she had found a joy for flying she never knew existed. "She kept yelling it was trying to eat her arm off."

"It was kind of mean but the look on her face," Tahiri added as the others in the shuttle laugh at the visual picture Kell and she was painting for them.

"Oh tell me you have a holo of that." Elassar said from the passenger seat behind her.

"No we don't and somehow I don't think she will lets us get her to wear one of the 1st aid patches again any time soon." Tahiri said looking over the sensor board and controls like those that taught her had explained. Just as Jedi and Warrior training had drilled into her, maintain the basics and you won't have much to worry about, many times big problems were just little problems overlooked until it was too late. "I hope Little Brother and her will be ok while we are gone?"

"They will be fine don't worry about them, how much trouble could they get into on an empty base?" Piggy said dressed in his guard outfit.

They all were already in their disguises that Face had made up for them. Piggy was going as a Gamorrean guard uniform that was common sight in the Galaxy. Elassar was wearing a pirate uniform with scarred looking horns and fake missing teeth covering his real teeth. Kell was going in as the leader, wearing a mock spacer uniform with more ribbons and decoration usually seen on real uniforms. He also had a long ponytail blond wig and a fake scar that pulled his left lip up and back, giving his sneer a very demonic look to his face. Tahiri was wearing her 'skin' and had her throat creature already in place. She was also wearing a man's blouse and slacks that fit loosely on her and a flight jacket with her light saber hidden in a inside pocket.

"Those two could find trouble anywhere; if there was a pile of poo-doo within 500 kilometers of their position they would find it. And they would find it by falling in head first." Tahiri said looking over her shoulder giving Piggy a concern look, "Look at what they didn't do to the stiff twins."

"Peacekeeper, trust in your commander," Kell said practicing his body talk, "I am sure Face knows what he is doing. In addition, if they destroy the base while we are gone, well that will give them something to do and build some character. You need to keep your mind on your mission."

"Speaking of which, I have a small question that has been nagging me." Tahiri said off handedly.

"Ask away child, if you never ask you'll never learn anything." Kell replied in a lofty, condescension voice.

"Our mission is ..."

Kell opened his mouth but never said anything, he had a confused look on his face, and she closed her own eyes and dropped her head. She just knew she wouldn't get a straight answer now.

"Piggy, did Face tell you why he was sending us out?"

"You are the senior officer I thought you too care of it."

"Don't look at me, I came along for the scenery." She heard from Elassar say from behind her, he faked a large yawn as if he was getting ready for nap.

"Do I have to do everything around here!"

She silently pulled the hyper-drive levelers back and watched the stars stretched out before as the veterans argued behind her, knowing they would get around to explaining the mission eventually.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Remember our cover story people, we are here for two reason. One to get computer training in and to make back up copies of certain files due to Sandblaster accidentally wiped ours clean. Also get some needed entertainment files. Do not discuss anything about any of our personal or anything about our training." Face said as he watched Boom-boom bring the shuttle down through the atmosphere of Denon. Normally, in such a high traffic area such as Denon, he would have his hands on the stick but he had to allow the newbies strut their stuff. Sadly soon he would be stuck behind a desk and had to learn to trust the kids to handle their jobs without him watching over their shoulders. Something that he knew he would never get use to, he hated being left behind. "Long Shot you are in charge, hand out assignments."

"Right, Road Kill and Sparks will handle the computers, while Boom-boom takes care of supplies. I will over to the news central hub and do a search there; Boom-boom will join me after getting supplies. We will check into a non-military hotel. If Road Kill and Sparks finished early go to hotel and stand by. Boom-boom will run scans on the rooms every 4 hours."

"Any chance to get a drink while we are here?" Sparks asked listening to different communication bands.

"Not you Sparks, you can't handle you drinks." Road Kill said lazily.

"Sir? Poster Boy listen to channel ZS-009." Sparks said with a frown in his voice. Instantly all conversation ceased as everyone in the shuttle, except Boom-boom, listen to the channel Sparks mentioned.

"Is that code?" Long Shot asked Face.

"I don't know," Face said honestly, he thought it was a language but he had never heard before. "Sparks, Road Kill?"

"Sorry I never dealt with codes much before."

"Never heard anything like it before sir, that what caught my attention. It is not really directed at any one point, but that frequency is not used that much. I think you would have to be …sir, it is complete."

"Was it originating here or is this the end point?"

"It came in on the hypercomm. I don't have enough to do a back track with this equipment on this shuttle. I could check the logs when we get down to the central computer."

"Can you do that without compromising our mission?" Long Shot asked hanging up the headphones.

"No problem, I will be erasing some of our activities anyways." Road Kill responded.

"Sir, I say we go ahead and look into it, training if for no other reason." Long Shot suggested.

"Agreed, add it to the list but only after all the other activities are complete and you can do it without being observed. See if anyone else has noticed or logged any other transmitting. How much did you record?"

"About 30 seconds sir, not enough to work with."

"Still have Squeaky, Little Brother and our crazy geniuses listen to it when we get back."

"If there is a base when we get back." Boom-boom said from the pilot's seat.

"Well, this is interesting." Face said as the shuttle touched down at the spaceport.

"Is that Colonel Solo?" Boom-boom asked shutting down the shuttle.

"Yes it is, everyone get the gear and head out. I catch up with you later." He said standing up and heading out the hatch. He headed straight over to wear Colonel Jaina Solo waited alone. She was standing still, arms crossed, eyes blazing and a hard set to her face.

"Where is Tahiri!" She said without any preamble.

Face stood in front of her, waiting for her to get a clue. Face really used his rank, in fact, except during the training of the Wraiths, he never made it an issue when dealing with those of lesser rank. He expected any Wraith to follow his orders without question but all the spit and polish that accompany his rank he could do without. However, Jaina attitude right now and the fact she asked about Tahiri was rubbing him the wrong way.

"Well!" She snapped out.

"I am sorry Colonel," he said stressing her rank, "did you say something."

"Don't pull that with me Face, I want to know right now what you are doing with Tahiri."

"First thing Solo, it is Commander Loran; second what makes you think I would know anything about Tahiri. The last I heard she was on Zonama Sekot playing in the forest." He pushed past her, heading in to the crowd of people moving through the huge military spaceport.

"Fine, then how is 'Sara Sandblaster'!" Jaina said trying to keep up with his longer strides.

"Oh you know Flight Officer Sandblaster. I'm surprised, she never mentioned knowing any of you. I guess I shouldn't surprised, Tatooine is really a small community."

"Cute, what do you think you are doing with a Jedi in your squadron …"

"If I had one in my squadron, but Tyria hasn't paid her dues to rejoined the club in awhile if she does I let you know." He stopped at a bank of lifts to take him down to the commuter tubes. "Is there a reason you are wasting time asking me about something that isn't going on?"

"I want you to get her out of the Wraiths, now! I won't stand by while you twister her and abuse her like this." She said in a low voice and close enough to him that no one around them could hear what she was saying. "She is the first Yuuzhan Vong Jedi and should be around her own kind on Zonama Sekot. All you and your idea of the perfect roommate can do is hurt her and I won't let that happened, Commander."

When the lift doors open he allowed the crowd to guild him in, Jaina made no move to follow but locked gazes with him as the doors closed. As the lift headed down to the sub floors, he wondered how she knew so much about the Wraiths.

"Hello Face, I am surprised to see you." Luke said getting up from behind his desk as Face walked into Luke's office. After checking in with the various commands that the squadron must answer to, from Intel to supply, _you would think they personally paid for each X-wing,_ he wanted to pay a visit to Luke before he went back to the hotel. He had planned to see Luke while he was here anyways but the reception he got from Jaina just made him push up the appointment. "How are things on Borleias these days?"

"Boring compared to the last time we were there," he said sitting down in the chair Luke had waved him into as he sat back down in his chair. Face looked at Luke's office, it was plain and homely at the same time with only pictures hanging in the office was of his family and friends he had made over there years. It was the unassuming kind of office he would expect from Luke. "But Bora and Tahiri is keeping thing interesting."

"Interesting how?" Luke asked looking concerned.

"Never knew a Jedi could be so fun to have around." Face went on to explain some of the practical jokes that Tahiri and Ratnena had pulled on each other. Even Luke had laugh at a few of the pranks. "Like I thought, Ratnena and Tahiri work well together, they push each other to improve and they keep each other on their toes. But we have a had a problem developed in the past few days." Face went to explain the security leaks they had found. "As a result we had to suspend training until we find out who is after Tahiri and why. The rest of the Wraiths, for the most part, had accepted Tahiri and her past. Ratnena adjusted really well and is excited about having a new chain to pull on Tahiri."

"So they haven't held her unique history against her, I am very pleased to hear that and," Luke said with a grin, "as silly as this sound I am very pleased to hear Tahiri found someone like Ratnena. I was worried since she has been merged she has not been very good at trusting people. But the spies and bomb does have me concerned, any ideas on those?"

"We think it might have to do with what Tahiri is. Our theory is the Yuuzhan Vong seeing her as a first step to regaining their gods' favor."

"Regain in how?"

"As long as Tahiri is alive they can't be redeemed for their failure, at least that is our working theory."

"That is a disturbing …" Luke leaned back in his chair and had a concern look on his face, "disturbing but it does make some sense."

"That is the general consensus, I have people out tracking down our two corpuscles. Unfortunately, some things I can't skip over in the training. Which is why I am here not out there."

"Well I have to have our security at the hanger rechecked as well as get a hold of Jaina and let her know about it too. I want her to check out her X-wing before she gets back."

"Jaina isn't here." Face knew that it was Jaina he talked to just a couple hours ago.

"No, she is out with the Supreme Commander at the Imperial summit."

"Ah, still you are right. Tell them they have to tear apart the engines to get to the bomb if she has one."

"Right, I wish there was a way to get a hold of Jacen, the twins are very important to the Yuuzhan Vong, he maybe in danger also." Luke looked off in to space, "Jacen is running out on his own and rarely checks in. Maybe Jaina knows something."

"I keep you informed if anything that we find out."

"Thank you Face, oh one more thing." He said getting up from his desk and went over to a cabinet. "This came in from Zonama Sekot last week for Tahiri." Luke pulled out something that looked like a clams shell.

"What is it?"

"Well they claim that this is something only Tahiri can use," he stroked the shell and it opened reviling a slug-like creature that was about the size of a light saber. "Sekot had this made for her, it is a living light saber bio-tuned only to her. Several of us have tried to activate it with no success."

"You sure it came from Sekot." Face asked as he picked up the strange creature, it was heavier then a regular light saber. He could see that it had a mouth and eyes but no limbs or anyway to turn it on. "How do you feed it?"

"It eats meat, there are care instruction that came along with it." Luke said handing him a piece of flimsy with both Basic and Yuuzhan Vong on it, "and yea I sure it came from Zonama Sekot, there was a message from Danni attached to this gift. She wants Tahiri to know she was free to come back any time she wishes."

"I will pass on both messages when I get back."


	14. Chapter 14

Tahiri sat at the unpopular end of the cantina's bar, watching the various beings move around, talk and do whatever they do for entertainment. She had her back against the wall, just observing the crowd, taking it all in. A big change from the kind of missions she had been on with the Jedi, she couldn't imagine Corran, Han or Luke letting her sit in one of these places by herself. She has never had the opportunity before to just sit back and see such a cross section of any population. Tahiri found it fascinating how different beings acted in this cantina, some where here for no other reason then to get drunk, some to find companionship, some to make money and others to steal money. Some Tahiri could feel the pain of their lives roll off them in waves or the joy that accompany the alcohol; others radiated Dark Side so powerfully she wondered if they were Dark Jedi who didn't know that they were Dark Jedi. Not many have bother her too much, one man wanted to sell her something called 'death stick', she wasn't sure what it was but she sent him away in her own special way after the fourth time he bothered her. Because she was wearing her 'man skin' she also had several women approach her, she was very glad that Rat wasn't around she would never let Tahiri live those encounters down.

The first time Kell had her wait in one of these places she was disgusted and insulted, plus a little fearful. She stayed pretty much to herself with her back to the wall, trying to figure out why Kell would want her to hang around with this kind of crowd. It didn't take her long to understand why Rat said Jedi stick out like a Wookiee at a Ewok party. There was something about her that made other leery. Many people sent her hostile stares, they all gave her a wide berth at the bar, and the bartender sneered at her and jeers at her selection of refreshment.

"A man drinks in here son, little boys should run along home to their mommies," the ugly man said to her, which got a big reception from the other customers in the cantina.

She had one or two drunks accuse her of being an 'oinker' ,whatever that meant, and had wished to engage in hand to hand combat with her. After a few hours, she finally got it, why Kell felt that she should sit in here by herself. She had leaded a shelter life; she didn't know how to deal with the various beings that made up the galaxy. Many that flirted with the wrong side of the law, many of the people that she would have to help one day.

Therefore, she turned this into a learning exercise, to learn how to deal with these people on their level and not as a Jedi. The bartender was the first challenge, insisted that she drinks 'real manly' drinks. Tahiri remembered a drink she overheard Mr. And Mrs. Solo discussing one day, an eye blaster; she figured if Han drank that it couldn't be very bad. She knew right away that something was wrong by the ripple of amusement that flowed around the bar as the bartender mixed her drink. However she had to go through with it, she was a Jedi after all she couldn't back out of something as simple as drinking. Therefore, with a salute to the other patrons, she took a large gulp.

Tahiri had been amazed that her skin didn't try to crawl away from her and the voice worm had survived. She went into a coughing fit as this ball of fire exploded in her stomach, and tears ran down her face. The only positive effect out of all this was the way the others treated her, no longer where they intimidated by her presents now they held her with a amused contempt. This would have pleased her more if she hadn't been dying right there and then. _I'm so glad Rat isn't here_, was the first thought that she could remember after she controlled her stomach; well that and that she need to talk to Mr. Solo about his taste in drinks.

Nevertheless, that had been two weeks ago and her training since had gone well she believed. She was no longer a Wookiee among Ewok, but now she blended in rather well, especially after she studied what alcohol drinks had in them and which ones she could handle. She would hang around whatever cantina, gambling parlor or drinking hole that they were near and pick up rumors, stories and gossip that the different people would tell her or that she overheard. She would share some that Kell had approved of ahead of time or tweak a story about some Jedi enough to get them to see them in a new light without reveling her past as a Jedi or making her sound too pro-Jedi. Tahiri knew that at some point she would be required to meet with the Peace Brigade and she didn't want a history of being too Pro-Jedi following her around, even if some of the stories made her want to scream in frustration.

The latest place they were at was "Nova Station", which sat on Perlemian Trade Route, it is a place for travelers to stop and refuel and to get supplies and to replace the planet Carida. Carida was the planet that Kyp had destroyed using the weapon Sun Crusher back before she was born. Because of the unique conditions outside the station, the still expanding and cooling shell of star matter, all ship had to drop out of dark space and search out the station. This allowed just about anyone who was interested enough time to do a scan on an incoming ship, to find out if they should run or stay. The station was one of the favorite places of those who didn't want to be found to hide, like smugglers, bounty hunters and others like them.

When she saw Piggy, still decked out in his guard dress, coming thru the door she knew class time was over, they had finally made contact with, well with who ever the other three had been looking for.

"Looks like it is time for me to get back to work, guys," she said leaving a few credits on the bar for the service and getting up.

"Is that thing here for you Dack?" One of the spacers she had been talking to earlier said as she walked by him.

"Belongs to the boss, he sends it out to fetch things for him." She said, telling everyone at the bar to have safe trip and hurrying to meet Piggy. She _hated_ the way she had to treat him in public, to treat any intelligent being as property just made her skin crawl. Even if it was Piggy, who argued in favor of behaving likes this to keep in character. They had to act in a certain manner for the good of the mission he had told her.

"I understand Peacekeeper, it does make me feel pleased that you feel as you do but now is not the time to fight this battle."

"Injustice is a battle that must be fought all the time."

"Agreed," he had said with a smile on his face, "but which is the greater injustice? What some small minded people, without the brains to blow their own noses, say and treat me or what your people are doing in Hutt space?"

"The Boss is ready to burn jets?" She asked him to stay in character, Piggy just nodded and grunted. As he turns to lead the way out the door, she heard several cracks about him from some of the other customer. She really wished she could take off her skin and teach those cretins a lesson or two about respect. Nevertheless, that would have blown her cover and been one-step closer to the Dark Side; neither option would have helped Piggy or done any good. She just sighed and mumbled a small prayer to the gods.

"Yes," Piggy said quietly as they walked down a corridor leading away from the 'Big Boom' towards the inter station, "Prayers to the gods can help but so does remembering what we need to do for the mission."

"I know it's just … I don't think I will ever get used to this attitude towards you."

"Then don't, however remember to change such small minds you must educate with love and understanding not a closed fist or a hydro spanner up side the head. Violence is not always the best answer no matter how tempting it would be."

"You are going Jedi on me?" Tahiri said favoring him with a smile.

"No," he said with a grin, "but you don't have to be a Jedi to know good advice when you hear it."

They head into a lift going down eight levels then a side-traveling walk to the outer rim of the station where storage and warehousing district was, a low traffic area to say the least. Just the kind of place a paranoid person would meet other paranoid people without anyone noticing. Even the Security Forces were largely absent in this district. She let her Force sense flow out from her and scanned the area around her. Nothing was directed towards her but she still felt a twinge of something in the air. She hardly noticed that she was gripping her side arm a little too tightly with her right hand as she approached a hatchway with Piggy. When she walked through, she saw Kell and Elassar sitting in a couple chairs facing two men with a woman standing off to their right, the Wraiths between her and the door.

_Fas! _It was Lando Carlrissian, Talon Karrad and Shada, Talon's partner and bodyguard, all friends of her adopted family, watching her as she walked in. _No not me something …_ she let her gaze drift off to her left. Standing off to the side was one of Lando's very successful and powerful Yuuzhan Vong Hunter droids. It had its blaster pointed at her head as Lando got up from his seat.

"Well 1A-1?"

"Species unknown, possibly human; wearing an ooglith masquer; other Yuuzhan Vong life form detected in the larynx regain; weapons detected pistol and a light saber."

"Interesting combination wouldn't you say, Talon?" Lando commented as he walked over to her, Tahiri kept her now brown eyes steadily on his dark eyes. She could feel the tension in the room go thru the roof, as he got closer to her. Tahiri kept quiet, waiting to take her cue from Kell.

"Fascinating," she head Talon say from his seat, "especially since the only humans that wear ooglith masquer are Peace Brigade members."

"We're not a Brigade members if that what you are implying," Kell said calmly from his seat, but she could start to feel his nervousness in the Force, "you do have those codes I sent verified?"

"Those codes only get you in the door to see me not to get free run of my stores. And codes can be intercepted." Talon said smoothly from his seat, "and you still have to convince me to allow you access to my information. I don't normally deal with private buyers anymore."

"So did you get that light saber honestly or did you just happen to find it lying around?" Lando asked her as he edged closer to the YVH1-A1. "Because I just don't remember seeing you at the last pow-wow the Jedi had.

"He went through a lot to get the weapon," Elassar said lazily from his seat, "I don't think it is for sale if that what you are after."

"Anyways those codes are your codes Karrad, do you think one of your codes could be broken so easily?" Kell asked.

"Ordinarily no but …" Talon let the sentence hang out there for all to draw their own conclusions, "now if you would be so nice as to tell us a story we might let you leave."  
"The story is this; we have the codes that tell you all you need to know, end of story. We going to do business or do we just go on our own little ways?" There was no mistaken the hint of threat in Kell's voice but the nervousness was still there buried deep in him.

'Sorry but as you know I am in the information business and well you can understand why I would be interested in a person wearing a fake skin and carrying a light saber. You know many Jedi had been hunted down during the war and the Peace Brigade in particular was successful at that game. Therefore, I must insist that you answer my questions." When Kell and the rest didn't say anything, she heard a tired sigh come from Talon. "Very well, Lando if you would."

"1A-1 if you would please."

The droid took a set towards her, she knew now that she would have little choice, either surrender or destroy the droid. Once a Yuuzhan Vong Hunter gets started, it would not stop until either it was dead or his target was. Tahiri _didn't_ want to fight the droid, it had done nothing to her except to follow it's orders; not at all different then what she was doing. She searched for another way out, just because it was an abomination was no excuse to destroy it. She closed her eyes and reached out with the Force, she used her powers to propelled the droid up against the ceiling, trapping it's gun against the ceiling and it's body. Over the electronic screams of the YVH1, she could hear the started remarks of the other three as they watched the Wraiths pull out their own weapons and cover them.

'Ok now, everyone nice and easy take your hands away from your sides." Elassar said from the other side of the room.

"Interesting so you are a true Jedi." Talon said recovering from his shock.

"Lando," Tahiri said, her voice distorted by the creature in her throat and by the strain of using the Force, "call of the droid, I don't want to hurt him."

"Uh … yea, YVH1-1A stand down." Lando said in a shaky voice.

Once the droid complied, she lowered him gently to the deck. When she opened her eyes, she drew her own gun and covered the other Wraiths as they backed out the door. Shada had a look of murder in her eyes, Lando was shaken to his core and Talon narrowed his eyes at the retreating Wraiths.

"I am sorry but I have lost a few associates to the Peace Brigade of late, we have to know who we are dealing with."

"Save it, the deal was the codes gave us access and not to be attacked."

"Understand who ever you are that …"

"Like I said we will be leaving now, no need to show us the way out we remember the route." Kell said as the door closed.

Piggy drove his axe into the control panel, shorting them out. All four headed back to the docking rings in silence. It was not until they launched an hour later and was safely in hyperspace did they speak.

"Well that was a fun time," Elassar said from behind her as Tahiri retracted her 'skin' and removed her voice worm.

"Sorry if I blew things back there …" she started to apologize but Kell cut her off.

"No, you did fine. That was a good trick; you took them off guard long enough for the rest of us to get our weapons out. They have no idea who we are so all of our covers are safe, not reveling our identities counts more then any information we could have gotten off them. Anyways we knew we couldn't keep your Jedi habits totally hidden forever."

"We can trust them you know."

"Luke and the rest may trust them but I don't and it is my decision." Kell said, not in a hostile tone but one that didn't invite further discussion, "Besides even if I trusted them personally I have to be aware of the fact that there are people in their organizations that I can't trust. We have to limit all outside contact with 3rd parities as much as possible."

"So why we were there is we hadn't planned on using them?"

"We have used them before," Piggy said coming up from behind her, she risked a glance back and saw that he had removed his disguised, "the codes should have given us access to the information we requested."

"But for some reason after Piggy left to get you, they brought in the YVH1." Kell said trading places with Elassar, who was also out of costume.

"The YVH1 was there for you only or else it would been there when we walked in," Elassar said strapping in at the co-pilot's seat, "since the only time you have had that thing off was when we left the base, I think you must had trip a sensor somewhere on the station."

"I agree which means that the trip was not a complete waste." Piggy said in satisfied tone.

"Uh, it seemed to be a waste of time to me." Tahiri said she was not following their logic.

"The fact that they had Lando and his bodyguard there and had special sensors hooked up to detect ooglith masquer tells us that the Peace Brigade has been taking shots at them too."

"Pretty good shots too if they are willing to spend that much man power to do check on us," Kell said from behind Elassar. "That course I entered will take us to Face's position; we can compare notes with him when we get there."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_I'm still alive! _ Gred thought as he approached his room. Earlier, just after he got on watch a Vong ship had existed hyperspace near Borleais, dead center in the middle of his watch area. He was able to blank his sensor logs and redirect all sensors in the area to his station without any one noticing. Even so, he sweated all-night, he was sure that someone had seen what he had done. But he was never questioned by anyone; the ship had slipped past and down to the Wraith base undetected. Then he had to go through the day until he had an opportunity to tell his control what he had done, his headaches had started just as he found his control. He heard what happened to the other two and didn't want to go through it himself, he had too much to live for to die by doing something as stupid as they did. After all he had that secret account with enough credits stashed away to make him a very happy man for a long time. _Just a couple more years and I will be free, and then it will be drinks, food and women!_

So lost in his thoughts that he hadn't notice that his lights were off when he walked in his room nor that he was not alone. His first hint at trouble was when he felt a hand cover his mouth then a sharp pain in his neck. It was as if molten lead was being pumped into his body.

"All Vong lovers will die!" A voice whispered to him and then it was nothing but pain.


	15. Chapter 15

Squeaky powered up after the eight hour required recharging period to find Little Brother and Prankster in the same position that they were in last evening. Both of them were pouring over the reams and gigabytes of information they had pulled from the central military computer here on Denon since they arrived a day after Poster Boy and the other. Unlike Poster Boy and his team, which according to the clandestine message he received from Face, had come up empty; Prankster and Little Brother had found a gold mine of information. Moreover, they found relevant material not just from the military computer but also from such sources as the Commodities Markets' computers, the Intelligent and Law Enforcement's data banks, Senate's computer banks, Banking computers and even the Jedi archives; computers that normally would not be able to communicate with each other.

Although he was a droid, a magnificent droid, his main functions did not include computer data theft, so he was not quite sure how they were able to use Little Brother as an interface to the computer equipment they brought along with them from Borleais and the planet's computer systems. However, he could not argue with the results they had found. Poster Boy had originally sent him along with these two to insure that they would stay out of trouble and keep them focus on the mission at hand. A duty that was not necessary after all, they both knew the only way to keep Peacekeeper safe was to locate the mole or moles that are leaking information to the Yuuzhan Vong before they get enough information together to launch an attack against her.

They discovered the identities of Starred and High, how they not only were able to by-pass security checks but also how they were able to get the funds to bride various personal. They also found all references to the Project Hawkbat, and their hidden base that had been moth balled after Warlord Zsinj had been defeated, launching a worm program to erase all know references of Project Hawkbat; which was the main objective. However, they kept finding more information then they knew what to do with.

They have uncovered information such as credit washing, credit fraud, banks and businesses on Kuat, Bothawui and Denon being used to funnel credits and personal for undercover operations that were not officially sanctioned by the Senate or Military Command. Actions that help both the Peace Brigade and the so-called "Vong Free Organization" which has been very vocal in the media and senate concerning the seeming free pass the Yuuzhan Vong got when they left with Zonama Sekot.

In the 14 days, 7 hours, 32 minutes and 05 seconds since they arrived on Denon they have spent a large chunk of their waking hours, the many waking hours, digging deeper and deeper into the files. In fact, it has been 12 days, 13 hours, 24 minutes and 47 seconds since either one has left this lower level hotel. If they need any supplies or reconnaissance work done, he usually ended up doing it since it took both of them to work their system.

Not that he has minded very much lately since it has been 10 days, 8 hours, 58 minutes and 32 seconds since Prankster has bothered to clean herself. He was sure if he were human, her odor would have driven him screaming from the room. He was sure that if she actually wore any of her clothes, they would be just as soiled as she was. 

"YES!" Prankster said jumping up and doing what she called her victory dance, which was annoying as her odor if he worried about such things.

"Does this mean you will finally take a shower Prankster?" Not that, of course, he cared after all he was just a droid he was above such things. He did wonder what all this was doing to his olfactory sensor; he did take care to keep his equipment up to standards.

"What?" She said looking at him in a confused manner.

JUNK PILE WE FOUND A THIRD MOLE IN THE WRAITH SQUADRON.

"There is a 3rd Yuuzhan Vong agent in the Wraith squadron, this is distressing news."

"No, he is not a Vong agent, he is an agent connected to the Supreme Commander office!" She raced over to the empty bed digging thru piles of printed material they have collected. "Remember all those transfers and assignment switches that we found just prior to Tahiri leaving for Borleais."

"Yes, but what …" he watched in dismay as she knocked over a 1/3 of the material as she jumped up from the bed. He was amazed that she could find anything with her filing system, a completely inefficient system she was using. He tried 5 times within the first 6 days, 4 hours, 32 minutes of this mission to keep everything properly organized but she would disorganize faster then he could fix it.

"We lost track of 35 different personal since that time however with in hours of when Poster Boy and the rest arrived here there was a new report filed under one of the assume named accounts the Supreme Commander keeps in the net." She said coming back over to him knocking over portions of her last uncompleted meal on the carpet. "The report detailed everything that happened since the mole got to Borleais up to Peacekeeper's briefing on herself. So that report to central command had to come from someone that flew in with Poster Boy!"

"That sound logical …" Squeaky started to reply but her close proximity was starting to overload certain sensors, flapping her arms did not help matters much.

WE LOCATED A PICTURE OF THE SUSPECT BEFORE HE WAS TRANSFERRED TO WRAITH SQUADRON, WITH THAT PICTURE AND THE NAMES USED TO IDENTIFIED WE FOUND HIS TRUE FILE. HIS MISSION WAS TO TRACK PEACEKEEPER AND OBSERVE HER AS A POSSIBLE SECURITY LEAK AND TARGET FOR ELIMINATION.

"Elimination," this was distressing news, "why would our military wish to eliminate Peacekeeper?"

"I don't know, yet," she said going back over to the piles of reports and started digging around for something else, "the other problem I am having is proving just _who_ is running the whole operation."

"I thought you said it was coming from Admiral Traest Kre'fey office."

"Through his office sure but nothing in his name, especially with the high amount of slicing and all that we are uncovering, it looks more like the work of those Vong free jokers; it is going to take a couple more days …"

"What? No I am afraid that is not possible Prankster."

"Uh?" She said still digging through the piles, "we plenty time we have only been here a couple days."

"Prankster we have been her for 14 days …"

"What? We have?" She said looking over at Squeaky and Little Brother, "but didn't we … look we can't leave yet. Sure I found about Long shot and his mission but there is …"

"Long shot is the mole?" Very disturbing news, of all the candidates Flight Officer Saint was one of the most decorated and dedicated recruit they were able to get.

"Yea," she said absently said as she dug into the pile, "his real name is Corporal Ferg Bod and he is a commando that was attached to First Fleet."

"Oh my, I am sorry Prankster but we must return to Command now." Squeaky said moving over to the pile and picking up hard copies.

"We can't go yet! We have to …"

"We must, our orders were clear and not up for debate. We have a time limit because of planetary security procedures and because of the window of opportunity to go to the Jedi Hanger and take the _Double Trouble_ back with us."

"But if I can find the link between the 'Vong Free' jokers and who ever is running personal to them from Central Command we could blow this open. Don't forget we have some evidence between members of the Senate and Peace Brigade, I need more time to dig it all out!"

"After Poster Boy reviews everything you have collected he may decide to send you back here or to a different location to retrieve more," Squeaky straighten and looked over at her, "tell me how much of the information have you actually reviewed."

"Most of it," she said defensively, crossing her arms and started to fidget, "some of it really."

PRANKSTER HAS REVIEWED 15.964% OF ALL MATERIALS WE HAVE COLLECTED.

"Traitor," she said softly glaring at Little Brother.

HOWEVER, I AGREE WITH PRANKSTER WE NEED MORE TIME TO FINISH THE ANNALIST OF THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE COLLECTED.

"And that is something that the entire Wraith team needs to be apart of, you may miss something that could be important down the line."

"Look can we at least contact Poster Boy and …" she said dropping the print outs she was carrying.

"No, I am afraid not. He instructed me not to contact him if and unless our activities were discovered."

"But …" she started to reply but he cut her off.

"And the time table as been set and must be followed unless, again, our activities had been discovered."

"But …" she came closer to him causing him to turn down his sensors.

"I shall gather all the hard copies and, try once more, to organize them in some kind of recognizable order."

"But …" she started again coming with in millimeters of his position, idly he wonder what her stench was going to do to his outer shell.

"Little Brother will make sure that all electronic data is back up and properly organized."

"But …"

"He will also lay in the ground work to retrieve the _Double Trouble_."

"But …"

"Now you must prepare yourself also."  
"What does that mean?"

"Well you must be presentable when you leave this room."

"What do you mean it will take me 2 seconds to change into something?"

"But …"

"And my hair will take two more seconds, what are you trying to imply?"  
"But …"  
"After all I just took a shower …."

"10 days, 9 hours, 10 minutes, and 35 seconds ago."

"What are you implying?"

"YOU STINK!"

She didn't say anything for a few moments, just stared at him with this look of hurt confusion on her face. She turned to look at Little Brother and back slowly shaking her head.

"Well that was mean …"

"But …"

"… you could say something earlier you know!"

"But …", now it was his turn to be confused.

"You didn't have to be so rude about it!"  
"But …" he watched helplessly as she went over to her luggage to get her clothes and showering items.

"Here I though we were becoming friends and all …"  
"But …"

"… friends don't just yell and scream about their friend, you are a protocol droid couldn't you have found a nicer way to say that." She screamed as she entered the refresher camber.

After the door closed he looked over at Little Brother at his control station, he was making the same noise that Prankster and Peacekeeper have said was his laughing noise.

"Humans!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I don't care get rid of it!"

Face watched as Tahiri stood her ground on the far side of the cabin, arms crossed and a very sour look on her face. Kell, Piggy, Elassar and her had landed at the old Hawk bat base an hour ago, joining Face and second flight in the main briefing cabin. 

Face and the rest had come here after leaving Denon to get the old mining base up and running again. Now that training was complete for all intent and purpose, he wanted the Wraith to operate out of an unknown base, since the Wraith Base was no longer secure. If Circuitry Girl worm program worked properly and if Prankster were successful in uploading it, it would hunt out and erase all links, suggestions and files that mentioned the Wraith's undercover operation at this base, it's location, and even the existence of the mining base that they took over. The only ones who would know about this base were the retired Wraiths, which Face trusted with his life. One nice thing about the cold of space, it does preserve well. It didn't take them long to get the power generator, life support and other essential systems up and running. Now they had to load the shuttles and the _Double Trouble_, with the equipment from their other bases and move in. The support personal, what little they had, would have to be reassigned. With Kell and Ratnena doing ship repairs, a few pit droids would be needed to help them. The rest of the duties could be divided up among all the personal. Hopefully by the time Kell and the rest left he will do a much better job screening potential replacements, even if it was only a mechanic to help Ratnena.

They were all set to head back for the first of many trips when Kell and the rest arrived, when he heard that he held off long enough to give Tahiri her gift, which was not going well.

"Think of it as your life day gift." Elassar said he was also staying as far as possible from the creature.

"My life day is another three months away!" She glared at the thing on the table, as if she was wishing it away. "Anyways I was carrying something like that in Anakin's vision!"

"Are sure it is still alive?" Road Kill said picking it up, "it has not moved since you got it Poster Boy."

"As near as Luke could tell it is in a hibernation sleep. What wakes it up, although, we don't know there is nothing in the instruction about waking it or even how it works?"

"So what is the problem Peacekeeper, I know you have used living weapons in the past." Kell said after making sure there were no known surprises hidden inside of it. Luke and the rest had already run test on it; it was an animal with a Lambert crystal in it's gut. They also found evidence of eyestalks and a series of plates on the stomach to help in locomotion, like snake.

"Those were Yuuzhan Vong weapons which I could use defensively or offensively, this is something entirely different." She twisted her face up even more, "I don't want it around me!"

"Does it bother you because of what it is or because of who sent it?" Face said, many emotions flashed across her face as she thought of an answer. If he was to pin it down she was torn between accepting it and rejecting it, in fact she was working hard at rejecting it. He bet that if it had come from anyone or anything else but Zonama Sekot she would have picked it up by now. She finally got her emotions under control, at least enough that she was not telegraphing them, she dropped her arms and addressed him directly but still she didn't stop staring at her present.

"Yes, now get rid of it."

Face looked at the rest of the people standing around or sitting at the table, the younger Wraiths seemed to willing to go along with what ever he did but they didn't look thrilled with the weapon. Piggy seemed to waiver, Elassar seemed more horrified then intrigued and Kell scanned and poked at it with growing fascination.

"Even if she doesn't want it, we should take it back and study it, Poster Boy." Kell said looking over the data on his pad that the scanners had collected. "We should study it for no other reason then the bad guys may come up with this too."

"Agreed," Face said taking the creature from Road Kill and placing it back in the clamshell, "Piggy and Elassar will go back with the Wraith 2nd flight. Kell and I will go with Tahiri; we all met up at Borleais. I sure Science Boy will be interested in this…"

"You can't take that back!" Tahiri snapped at him in a tone that no Flight Officer should ever use to a superior, the rest of the room went still as Face stared her down. Tahiri, too her credit and his dismay, started back with an unflinching resolve in her eyes.

"I am sorry _Flight Officer _Tahiri but what did you say?"

"Commander, you brought me on board as your Yuuzhan Vong Jedi," she said more respectively but no less resolved in her position, "and to advise you on all matters that I have a special understanding on. I would be failing in that duty if I didn't advise you to destroy that … thing, now!"

"Correct, to advise, I chose what to do and you advise. I can choose not to take your advice if I deem it necessary. You, however, do not have that option, you will obey all my orders, do you see the difference?"

"Yes sir."

"Good now we are going to go back to Borleais and let Science Boy exam the creature, you have a problem that plan?"

"Yes sir, I do have a problem with that plan."

"Tahiri," Face felt years older then his true age, wishing it were Wedge here instead of him, surly Wedge never had to deal with the problems Tahiri and Ratnena gave him. "Can you tell me why without just saying it bad or sounding like an ungrateful spoiled brat?"

"Yes sir I can."

"Very well," Face sat back down and crossed his arms assuming a relax pose, "lets hear it."

"Yes sir, I want it, badly."

Face watched her face, it was carved out of stone for all he could tell but she sound sincere. He exchanged confused looks with the rest of Wraiths; none of them seemed to understand her either.

"You want it?"

"Yes sir. I want to pick it up and carry it around with me with every fiber of my being."

"And that is bad because …?"

"I am fighting every impulse I have to rush over there and hold it, sir."

Again, Face look around a sea of confusion everyone seem to be wearing on his or her faces.

"She is insane let's just shoot her." Elassar said shaking his head.

"Why is it so bad that you want the gift?" Road Kill said laying her head down on the table in a gesture of defeat.

"Because," she paused and for the first time her face relaxed in to a softer almost sad expression, "because I am not sure if it is my desire or Bangor's desire."

"Bangor? That thing has a name!" Sparks blurted out before anyone else could say anything.

Tahiri just nodded her head sadly; she looked quickly over at Face with pleading eyes.

"Tell you what, why don't you four go run the preflight on the shuttles?" As the four left Sparks and Scavenger gave her an encouraging smile, Road Kill squeezed her arm and Long Shot nodded to her, no surprise there really of all the Wraiths is was the least talkative.

"Wasn't your Bantha named Bangor?" Kell asked.

"Yes sir, why Sekot decided to give that name to this … this thing is beyond me."

"You are talking to it in the Force?" Piggy asked with that far away look he gets sometimes when he is working through a complex math problem.

"No sir, it is in hibernation right now. I can feel it's anticipation, it's desire to join with me. It knows why Sekot gave it birth and it is excited … a level of excitement is almost …" She broke off and turned away from them, after few minutes she started up again but he could hear a slight tremble to her voice. It was so slight he was sure no one else could hear it, "when I was 10 I had my first life day party. I never had one growing up; my tribe didn't care about such things. We are not even sure when I was born just the year, my parents never got around to registering my birth. Therefore, Master Skywalker picked a day. By then I had learned what a life day was, Anakin Solo and the others all celebrated theirs' with a big party and many gifts. It was one of the few activates that Master Skywalker would permit. He wanted to let us be children for a while. Life Day parties were big events and everyone always looked forward to the next one. When mine came, around I was excited, finally I would get to be like everyone else, and I would be just as good as everyone else. However, no one seems to notice or care, I was devastated. Even Anakin Solo seemed to have forgotten what that day was. I know now how silly this sound but at the time, for a fraction of a second, I knew I was not as good as everyone else was. I stayed in my room during break period and I tried to skip dinner period but Master Skywalker came and got me out of my room. Lecturing the whole way about the responsibility, I had at the Academy and how he expects the best from me at all times. When we walked into the … mess … everyone was there. They had decoration up and … Mr. and Mrs. Solo were there with Chewie, 3PO and the twins, they flew in special from Coruscant. Even Master Jade-Skywalker was there. I felt a love so powerful and desire to prove to them I was worthy of this unconditional love they all were showing me I would have done anything they asked me, anything!" Tahiri turned back, her eyes blazing, "and that is what I am feeling from Bangor right now. This overwhelming desire to prove to Sekot and I that he is worthy of the life he was given."

"Bangor has something to prove or you have something to prove?" Piggy said in cold hard voice.

"I …" Tahiri started to say but her composure was finally showing some cracks in it, "… I mean he …"

"I thought you said you could not tell who was feeling what?" She stammered some more, her expression was one would expect to see on someone after getting a bucket of ice cold water thrown in her face, and Piggy drove his point harder. "If you are not sure who is feeling what, how do you know which one of you can be trusted? Are you sure you are not the one who needs to prove to the galaxy that you are worthy?"

"And I found it interesting you would chose that story to illustrate you point," Elassar said taking his cue from Piggy. Those two have worked a long time on the good cop/bad cop routine, carefully dissecting any story that some one handed them. Elassar with his calm medical background and compassion bedside manner and Piggy with his cold logical argument and near perfect memory. "You're very human desire to be seen as normal, as one of the gang as it was. But events keep you from ever being like the rest, you always were an outsider and this gift would just push you further 'outside'."

"Worst then that, she had stated earlier that she carried something similar to this in the vision Anakin Solo had of her. The older Dark Tahiri bent on killing all the Jedi, on destroying everything he died to protect."

"Is that it Tahiri?" Elassar said as he finished walking around the table and pulling out a chair for himself. Kell and Face sat quietly at the table watching Tahiri stand there slowing crumble before them. She did, however, remained standing but she no longer seem to be the quiet Jedi Warrior they were used to but now she seemed more child like. "If you accept that gift you accept that vision?"

"I can't fail." She replied softly and for the first time since she saw the gift took her eyes completely away from it. "Anakin Solo died so we, the rest of the strike team, would live. If I fail that means I will be sent back to Zonama Sekot, I fear that idea. If I fail that means that he wasted his life and I won't let his memory be tinted like that."

"And if you take that gift, you fail?"

"I don't know."

"Look Tahiri," Face said picking up the clamshell and walking over to her, "Kell and I can fly the shuttle back, why don't you go grab some shut eye and mediate. After you had a chance to talk to Ratnena and Little Brother you still wish to reject this gift, we will send it back but I want you to give it serious thought."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_This is just a dream, a bad nightmare, soon it be time to get up from school and mommy or daddy will come in and wake me up and this nightmare will fade away. _She knew that had to be the truth, that everything that has happened to her was just a bad dream. It didn't matter anymore how long she had laid here naked in a pool of her own blood and waste, every bone in her body broken, some twice, because it was all a dream. It didn't matter that she was a Wraith, only one out of the fourteen chosen from a pool of 100 candidates, the months of training, sweating and studying to make the finial cut. It used to matter but that was silly after all this was just a dream. When they cut off parts of her body, pulled out her left eye and her teeth with some kind of tongs, when they screamed at her as they beat her, demanding to know where Tahiri was or when she was coming back; that all used to matter but she knew better now. _Maybe mommy and I can go to the park after school. That would be nice; I bet it will be a bright beautiful day!_ All she had to do was wait for mommy and daddy to come in a wake her up for school.

She barely felt a hand grab what was left of her hair and force her head up; this caused some pain in her shoulder as the bones shifted again. She opened her right eye and saw that one of the monsters was leaning close into her again. Behind the monster was the king of monsters, the Slayer.

"Where is the Abomination?" The monster holding her hair screamed at her.

"I don't know," she barely whispered, _when daddy get here and wakes me up he will make you go away monster! That what daddies are for to protect their little angels and my daddy is the strongest daddy ever!_

"When will the Abomination return?"

"I don't know," _and mommy will give a great big warm hug and cover me in kisses! Then she will make me a big breakfast and you will be gone forever monster!_

"The Slayer wishes to know if you did know would you tell us."

"No."

__

"The Slayer believes you are telling us the truth, he wishes to let you know of all that we found here you out lasted them all. It is his honor to release you now."

_Of course, I am the last Wraith, Wraith 12 four lit and all green, sir!_ She watched with detached interest as the monsters gather out side her room, all of them releasing their pet snakes. She couldn't even feel the snakes as they crawled over her body or scream when they bit her, not that it matter anyways because she just had to sit here until mommy and daddy came in her room and wake her up for school.


	16. Chapter 16

"She is as normal as any other human/Yuuzhan Vong, she just a little more on the extreme end of the spectrum that is all." Elassar said watching the scanners as they entered the orbital insertion corridor for the Wraith base. It was Long Shot's turn at the controls; he was flying in a very competent manner, staying 15 meters behind Face's shuttle.

"I would feel better if she wasn't the only one of her kind," Boom-boom said from the rear of the shuttle. 

He and Road Kill had both expressed some serious doubts about Tahiri in the past; they were not sure how they felt about her actions at Hawk-Bat 1. On one hand, a Jedi that was worried about being too violent was not necessarily a bad thing. These kids were not even born, in most cases, when Darth Vader and the Empire were around but the stories were enough to make anyone stop and take noticed. Boom-boom's father had been a lower rank bridge officer in the Empire; he had told Boom-boom some stories about the actions of Darth Vader that would give anyone nightmares. He father was transferre to a garrison a few weeks before Endor, a move he was happy to make even before he heard what happened to the _Executor._

On the other hand her apparent indecisive about her powers and her willingness to use them had the rest worried, they had to trust that everyone on the team would act in a certain way without stopping to have a committee meeting. An attitude that Elassar support completely, when he first joined the Wraiths as a medic then later after he got his medical degree he knew that his actions had to be in the best interest of the team. He was a Wraith first and a doctor second, unfortunately Jedi didn't always see the world in that light. 

"She is also suffering form the second most common disease found in the galaxy today," Piggy said from his seat behind Elassar.

"And what is that sir?" Long Shot said as he smoothly compensated for the turbulence as they entered the outer atmosphere.

"Survivors Guilt," Elassar said turning in his seat so he could address everyone, "it is very common right now naturally, after all the war left 365 trillion dead and billions homeless. It is hard for many to deal with losses in those numbers. Now look at Tahiri's own background; her human parents died when she was three years old, her Yuuzhan Vong parental figures, both of the shapers, are dead. Riina and the original Tahiri had in effect died when they merged and she was reborn. Her tribal leader and bantha both died shortly after she left Tatooine, her Master died on Yavin 4, Talon Karrad lost many men saving her and the other from the invasion of Yavin 4, and she watched her best friend Anakin Solo died on a mission. Also, add in the fact for some reason she felt guilty for what happened to the _Widowmaker. _Now I am not saying you should let her know you feel sorry for her …"

"That would be stupid." Piggy chimed in

"Very stupid," Long Shoot said.

"Suicidal stupid, I take it." Road Kill said with a knowingly smile on her face.

"I figured that out when she stabbed the table." Boom-Boom added.

"Ah good you understand," Elassar said beaming and turn back to look out the view port, "the fact she is not in a nice white padded room wearing one of those cute little jackets is amazing enough. She may be only 17 but she will be there for us in a pinch."

"Droid Boy permission to break radio silence and contact Poster Boy."

"Why?"

"My equipment must be faulty, I'm not picking up anything from the base, no landing beacon or warning signals nothing."

Elassar looked at the terrain map; they were 2 minutes for landing.

"Did you check your equipment before we left?"

"Yes sir, but we should be getting something by now but all channels are blank."

He heard Piggy get up and cross the compartment to look over his shoulder.

"Charm Boy 'Q', everyone else strap in and weapons check."

"Charm Boy to Poster Boy Quack."

**"Roger."**

"What is going on sir?" Long Shot said gripping the controls tighter.

"Q means something is wrong, we think. P means there is evidence and O means Omega." He checked the scanners one minute 30 seconds to they were over the base. "Just relax and be ready to do what ever needs to be done."

"Five do a visual scan of the base." Piggy ordered as he sat back down at his station.

"Roger," at 58 seconds he reported everything looked ok.

**"Poster Boy to Droid Boy what do you … Peacekeeper what the hell are you …"**

__

"There are Yuuzhan Vong down there!"

"What?"

"Trust me there are …"

"Sir to the port!"

Elassar just glanced to the left as two magnums balls slammed into the side of the shuttle, spinning it out of control.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When Tahiri first rushed in to the cabin, her eyes blazing wildly, wearing only her undershirt and underpants, and gripping her old light saber in her right hand and Bangor in her left, Face had thought she finally lost it. Nevertheless, the kid was right; there were Vong in the area. He counted about two dozen rushing out of out of the main building towards the down shuttle. It had one wing spinning off as it plowed in to the soft dirt near the hanger. Not only were there ground troops but a Vong transport was raising out of the forest behind them.

"Khapet!"

"Watch you mouth kid and strap in!"

"I have to do something first."

"It is a little too late to get dressed now!" He then heard the sound of the exit hatch opening and the tugs of the air as Kell twisted the shuttle to avoid being hit. "What are you doing?"

"I forgot something in oven at the base, I'll be right back." She said as she hit the close switch and _jumped out of the shuttle._ Face stared wide-eyed as the hatch closed behind her.

"She is insane!" He said twisting back and scanning the threat board. The shuttle began to rock as the Vong ship got their range down.

"Hey I wanted that kitty cat but no you had to be the first on the block to get a Jedi."

"Sure now you say something! How we doing anyways?"

"The usual but don't worry I think the shuttle found a nice safe and soft place to land."

"You mean crash?"

"Land, crash, you say tomato …"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Slayer watched as the Abomination leaped from the doomed shuttle. She appeared to be scantly clad and without armor but as she landed she lit two of her _light sabers. _Also instead of rushing over to the first down ship, as he would have assumed she would, she charged the main group of warriors. One small Abomination against 28 prime Yuuzhan Vong warrior, she must be truly cursed by the gods for they must have driving her insane. He was not terribly surprise by that reasonably or even dismayed but she was taking her insanity in a direction he had not anticipated. What made matters worst, by charging at the warriors she was forcing the other to engage her; two warriors tried to ignore her and were cut down. He had warned the other repeatedly that it was his holy obligation to slay the Abomination and they were to leave her strictly alone. Now she was forcing them to fight her, challenging them in a way no true Yuuzhan Vong could refuse. He heard rather then saw the other shuttle crash and the other infidels open fire on the troops, but they didn't matter just the Abomination. With a battle cry, he jumped into the fight to kill it before anyone else could.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Long Shot was the last to leave the shuttle; he was already firing at the charging Vong as he leapt free. Elassar was carrying Boom-boom to the relative safety of the hanger he had been knocked out cold. He had been slow getting out the shuttle because he watched in amazement as the Traitor jumped out of the shuttle and, instead of leading the charge against the Wraiths like he expected, she charged the oncoming Vong killing two of them before they could attack. When they had briefed him, they told him that they suspected that she was unstable from her dual training. That she could and would switched sides if given a half a chance. During the training period and after he thought he could see signs that she may not have a lift that went all the way to the top floor but now he was sure she was insane. One small Traitor against 28 Scar heads, _yep the lights are on and no one was home_. Her action although was buying the other Wraith precious and needed seconds to get clear of the wreckage. There was just no way that he could see that would allow her to survive this battle or the rest of them either. There were just too many scar heads and not enough weapons on their side. However, he knew it didn't really matter as long as she was dead before he died; he could die knowing that galaxy was a safer place.

"Fighting retreat to the hangar!" He heard Piggy scream as about 15 warriors charged throwing bugs. He dropped one then two more before he was hit in the shoulder by something. As he spun to the ground he saw a warrior charge, his staff raised high, when he landed he rolled on his back to stare at the warrior as he delivered the killing blow. As he swung his staff down something wrapped itself around the head of the snake immobilizing it and a long icy blue beam shot out of it's mouth. The warrior stared at the thing, his mouth opened in shock, as it swung up and cut off his head. Long Shot, too, was amazed and staring open mouth as the Traitor flip over him and deflected more bugs. The creature flew up in to her left hand, it was Bangor, he realized.

"Go, get out of here!" She screamed as she made both light sabers nothing more then blue blurs. "Move it Long Shot, you can kill me later!"

He stumbled towards the others, watching as she leaped back into the main body of warriors that included a Slayer.

_She knows! She knows and yet she stilled is willing to risk her life to protect me!_ When he reached the hanger, he grabbed Boom-boom's side arm, he was thoroughly confused but he had to finish the fight before he could work it out. _She KNOWS!_

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Face and Kell joined the other in the hangar, he could see that all the X-wings, droids and the other two shuttles were destroyed. He had no time to morn, if the other two shuttles were here that meant the other two teams were dead. Even if they were still alive and trapped in the main building there was nothing he could do for them. The Vong ship was leveling the main building bit by bit. They had to be dead and if something didn't change soon the rest of them would be joining their fallen comrades.

He watched Tahiri jump back into the fray after buying Long Shot enough breathing room to get back here. His face was twisted with confusion and determination as he grabbed Boom-boom's gun. Face didn't know what was going on with him but he was still in the fight, even one arm down, and that is all that matter right now.

Tahiri was fighting the good fight, she was getting a few killing shots in but mostly she was buying him the time needed to get them out of this mess. She was leaping and slicing her way in and out of the main body, forcing the Slayer to follow her and the other warriors to watch their backs. She was paying a heave price although, he could see her back was slashed several times as well as her arms and legs. Her leaps were also getting slower and she seems to be running out of steam. He knew from experience that a Jedi could only use the Force for so long before they start to burn out. They had to get a plan soon or none of them will get out alive.

"Anyone have any ideas!"

He watched as Tahiri, in mid leap, was hit in the right shoulder by a thug bug, her right arm flapped uselessly when she landed, her mechanical light saber that she dropped was then stabbed by a warrior, destroying it.

"Anyone!"

No one said anything, no ideas, no smart comebacks, nothing. Now that Tahiri was down to one weapon, the Slayer faced her alone and the other surviving warriors directed their attentions on the Wraiths. He had an order to give, the only order left to give, the only order they would be willing to follow.

"MAKE THEM PAY!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Slayer could not help himself; he knew that he was committing blaspheme that would stain his soul for all to see, he would have to spend years in penance to erase that stain. It would be worth it and needed but he still could not help but feel admiration and respect for the Abomination. Her skin was opened in great many places, her disgusting red blood flowed from her, one arm flopping uselessly, her clothing was in tatters and yet she still fought well. Never once did he hear her uttered a single groan or complaint, nor did she weep and beg like so many of these infidels have when receiving less sever wounds. Never once did he hear her utter a single comment, past the war cry when he first engaged her, or waste so much as a glance that did not help her in her mission. Once he understood her plan, to cause confusion and distract the warriors from her infidel friends, to allow them to escape with their pitiful lives, as dishonorable act as it was he had to admire the way she did it. She knew the way of the warriors and used this knowledge against them. He had seen at least twice she was able to trick one warrior into killing a fellow warrior for her by her dancing around. She used her _light sabers,_ one made of life and another _machine_ to burn bugs out of the air, she used her god like powers to redirect some of the bugs, to pick up stones and hurdle them at the warriors to do anything to slow them down and stop them for destroying her friends. Yes she was the most unholy of all creation, the very symbol of what went wrong with the past order and she must be destroyed to regain the gods assistance but by Yum-Yuuzhan she was a _Warrior_!

The kind of warrior that was an honor to battle, he had first thought when he received the assignment that she would hardly be worth the effort. That she would be an easy slaughter but now he knew better and when his Tsaisi bites into her skin and she is finally is dead, he would be the greatest of all Slayers!

Moreover, it will be soon he could tell. It was not that her focus was any less intense or her green eyes any less calculating, but she was moving slower, missing some strokes and making minor mistakes in her attacks. In truth he was growing fatigued also, he needed to end this soon if he was to full fill his holy obligation.

"Die well Warrior!" He said hoping to distract her enough to get the kill. She surprised him by giving him a small smile.

"Funny," she answered in the holy tongue, "I was about to tell you the same thing Slayer."

That is when he heard the sound of explosion, two of them, impacting against the Yorik-trema skin. The Abomination suddenly dropped flat against the soil and as he looked at her in confusion, he was blown off his feet by a powerful gust of wind. _What evil is this!_ He though as he tumbled away, after he stopped he saw exactly what had happened an infidel ship had arrived. It had hurt his ship but not fatally yet. He had to finish this now! He turned and charged the Abomination as she stood her ground waiting for his attack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That is the _Double Trouble_!" Face screamed thinking he never seen a more beautiful hunk of junk in the universe. He dug out his comm link as Prankster swung around, ignoring the Vong ship and concentrating on the ground troops. "Prankster you're late!"

**"Sorry sir, there was this shoe sale … you should see the shoes there, they were to die for."**

"We discuss it later," he said with a smile, "what is your statue?"

**"This hunk of junk only had two missiles on board which I kind of already used."**

"That's ok we leaving, what is your rate?"

**"I charge by the pound."**

"Get down here and we'll talk, does that thing have an external speaker?"

**"Little Brother says yes, oh yea the ugly sea shell is heading back lets not spend too much time in the gift store."**

"We are all done with the shopping, tell Junk Pile to get on the loudspeaker and tell Peacekeeper in Tusken that visiting hours are over."

**"Roger, we coming in now."**

"Can that ship destroy that Vong ship?" Long Shot asked, while firing at the scar heads.

"No, but it will get us to the main base." Kell answered for him. Face could hear long-range fire from the Vong ship hitting behind the hanger as Prankster swung around so the rear hatch was between the Vong and the Wraiths. 

"Can it out run that rock pile?"

"Maybe but it doesn't matter Long Shot we are going."

"Yes sir, I was thinking if I rigged a torpedo to explode it might damaged the ship enough for you to escape."

"No, there is no way to rig a delay you have to do it manually."

"Yes sir, you got thirty seconds." With that, he ran back into the hangar.

"Damn Long Shot get back here!" Face yelled but he was ignored. "Move it people now! Kell take over for Prankster send her back to me!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Slash, parry, thrust, spin that was his universe now, that and the Abomination that he was fighting. He was growing weary, the ship was damaged, and the other warriors were failing at destroying the infidels and he needed to end this fast. The Abomination was not cooperating with the general plan. Ever since that thing showed up she seemed to get a new burst of energy, once again her blows were true, her deflection well timed. True, she ceased leaping around but she was making up for it in one small area, she was wearing a small knowing smile and her eyes were now shinning brightly. That smile was unsettling even to him; it was like seeing a god laugh at you while it was playing with your life.

She swung high and he blocked expertly, together they locked gazes as each tried to unbalance the other. He used both hand on his Tsaisi straining to best her one handgrip on the living light saber. Slowly he was able to move the Tsaisi closer and closer to her neck, he would be happier if she hadn't been wearing that _smile._

Without warning, she cut off her weapon and he stumbled forward, he half expected her to waste time trying to cut off his neck. Instead, she surprised him again by leaping up and doing a spin kick against his neck, one sufficiently powerful enough to cause him to loss his balance. When he hit the ground, he immediately rolled to his feat and brought his Tsaisi up in a high block, but found it unneeded since she was running away from the base and head to the forest to the North. He climbed to his feet and took two steps before his brain caught up with him, _why was she running away from the infidel ship? _

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_She knew and yet she was willing to risk her own life to protect his!_ That thought plagued him as he removed the cover on the torpedo that he could reached. In was still in one of the X-Wings, and even though the ship it self was hacked to pieces, the torpedo's were still in good shape. Getting to it and the actual detonator was a challenge one handed. Luckily, his past training and the refresher he took here had prepared him for this kind of emergency. Once he got the covers removed, it was a simple job of setting a breaker and pulling a wire. Although once he pulled the wire out it was big boom time. As he worked, he couldn't help but wonder what else his superiors had lied about. The actions of Tahiri were not the same as they had briefed him on; they warned him that she was unstable, although jumping out of a flying shuttle and taking on two squads of scar heads single handily did rather support that argument, but she was not the wild killing machine that said she was. She did kill, yes, but she didn't kill in a wild frenzy. She didn't switch sides at the first opportunity or even help the scar heads in any manner. 

__

Good luck guys. He thought as he heard the _Double Trouble _lift off, he could also hear the impacts of the magma balls against the hangar and the ship. After resetting the breaker, he awkwardly stripped the insulation off the two wires he needs to pull out of the detonator. He would have to give them enough time to pick up Tahiri and get their shields up before he pulled them. He would hate to do all this work just to get the very people he was trying to save killed.

Just before he was ready to pull the wires, he felt something hit his shoulder and pin him to the hull of the X-Wing. He looked down and saw the end of a staff went through his shoulder and imbedded itself in to the hull. A young Warrior leaned over and gave him smile full of hate and malice. It said something but he didn't understand what it said, nor did her really care. He just got a tighter grip on the wires and gave the scar face his own hate filled smile.

"You lose mo …"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"All Warriors follow me, Ship Master steer a course towards the Abomination. She is heading to the North; they will follow her to pick her up." The Slayer said into his villip on his shoulder.

"Yes Slayer we will set down …"  
"No, you will bring down that machine first, we will follow on foot. You must bring it down _before _they get the Jeedai!" 

"We obey Slayer."

_If they can get it down before the Jeedai can get to it, they have won!_ He thought as he closed the distance to the Abomination. _She is running to the North so they won't have to waste any extra time making course changes, they will be heading North to get to the larger base anyways. Truly, she is an exceptional Warrior._

This time when the infidels craft passed overhead, he was prepared; he allowed the wind to propel him forward, assisting him instead of fighting against the wind. When he finished his tumble, he was able to jump up and continued to hunt down his prize. The Ship Master resumed firing on the Infidel ship, causing it to rock as it lowered it rear-landing platform. He could see two males, one human and the other one that was a large pig-like creature, and a female lean out of the ship. The Infidels were returning fire as his great beast continued to take bites out of its prey. The pig creature was also firing but at him, in a vain hope of slowing him down. He was a Slayer and such inferior will not stop him. As the Abomination leaped up to the ramp, he threw his prized Tsaisi at her. He was rewarded with a sight of it hitting her in the side, causing her to lose her grip on the ramp. The other female jumped out and caught the Abomination just before she rolled off the ship. The other two males pulled them both in while his ship intensified its fire. He could see a few spots were the hull it self was on fire. _Fall by Yum Yuuzhan FALL FROM THE SKY!_ The Infidels ship begun to angle up to the safety of the sky, clipping a few trees on the way up. He had not lost yet he will …


	17. Chapter 17

The _Millennium Falcon _exited Hyperspace smoother then it had in years, all that work Leia, 3PO and he had done to his beloved ship since the end of the war had added another 30 years of life to it. He should be happy, he should be wearing an insufferable grin at his superior mechanical skills, he should be bragging how only he could do this kind of work. Leia should be making sarcastic remarks about the general history of this ship, how it always broke down at the wrong time, or his general obnoxious personality. Even Goldenrod should be putting in his own unwanted two credits in the conversation. However, they weren't, instead each was just staring out the view port at the growing body that was their target, Borleais.

Almost two weeks ago, Leia had felt something in the Force that had to do with Tahiri, their unofficial adopted 17-year-old daughter and their youngest son Anakin best friend, something happen that neither she nor Luke could describe. She had contacted Luke immediately to find out he and Mara had felt the same thing. They described it to him but he didn't understand it anymore then they did. They said it was as if the more she drew on the Force the harder it was to sense her. It wasn't like Anakin's death or anything else they had ever felt.

**"Borleais Control to _Millennium Falcon_, come in please."**

"This is the _Falcon_, Control." Han replied simply, he was in no mood for the normal run around.

**"General Sinclair sends his greetings and wishes for you and your crew to join him at the site of the incident, Captain Solo. I am uploading the flight plan to your navigational computer now."**

He felt more then saw the nod Leia gave him when she received the information.

"Thanks Control, _Falcon_ out." He snapped the comm unit off with more force then needed. Leia didn't say anything; she just reached out and found his hand with hers. "The incident he called it."

Leia didn't say anything she just gripped his hand tighter. She didn't need to say anything; he knew what she was thinking, after thirty years being together they rarely need words anymore.

They could see the devastation long before they got to the Wraith base; hundreds of thousands of square meters of forest and grassland had been consumed in the fire that had finally burned it self-out, a fire that started almost dead center of the Wraith base.

"Maybe they found something or found them." Leia said quietly.

Han didn't trust himself to respond; a week ago, the Borleais Command had spotted the huge forest fire and sent a couple trainees in X-Wings to investigate the fire as a practices exercise. It was not a huge deal to most of the personal since the exact location of Wraith Base was classified and they hadn't known what they knew now.

Han saw a team working on a wreck to the east; he began a circling pattern to look it over. Leia gripped his hard enough to cut off his blood supply but he barely felt it. The wreck looked like a Model 47 freighter, just like the kind that disappeared from the Jedi hanger, the freighter that Tahiri used. Now it was just a burned out hunk of scarp, laying on it top, and in several large pieces.

He came out of the holding pattern and continued South to the Wraith base. He wasn't sure whom he was madder at, the Vong for being too stupid to give up, the damn Jedi for letting her join the Wraiths, Tahiri for agreeing to join them, Face for not protecting her better, or himself for not being here with her. He knew he should followed his first instinct when her heard she had returned from Zonama Sekot, he should locked her in her cabin on the _Falcon_ and thrown away the key; come to think of it that plan would work great for Jaina and Jacen too. After Chewie, after Anakin, after all the trouble he always found himself in since he picked up Luke and Ben on Tatooine; didn't he deserve a few years without worrying about losing another member of his family? 

He over flew a wrecked Vong transport but he didn't give it much of a glance, there was nothing there he wanted to see.

"Oh my," 3PO said from his customary seat behind Leia. He could hear Leia catch her breath and he felt his gut tighten. There was nothing left of the Wraith Base, just a couple beams sticking up from the ground and some lumpy piles of melted steel. Every thing else had been either blown away or turned to vapor.

He set the _Falcon _down next to Mara's ship the _Jade Shadow, _as he did a hasty shut down he saw Luke, Mara, Artoo and a general walking over to them. He saw that Luke had something in his hands, carrying it as if it was a priceless jewel.

Together, hand in hand, with Goldenrod trailing behind them, they walked down the ramp and over to where his family waited for them. The general stayed a respectable distance away from them, honoring their need for privacy. When Han got close enough he saw what Luke was carrying, Tahiri's light saber.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The man just knew, deep in his gut, that this was the most important briefing he could or ever have given. It felt like one of those moments that the future hung on, that battles were won or lost, civilization were either built or destroyed. He knew not why he had this gut reaction but he learn to trust it no matter what. He once failed to listen to the small voice that whispered to him in the dead of the night, he fell to this awful station in life, and he would never make the same mistake twice. He had to get it right this time, he had to phrase the briefing in such a way they allowed him to explain himself, and make sure the future titled in the right direction.

"So the Abomination is dead." Nor Hur asked while pacing the command center.

"So the evidence could suggest." He answered carefully.

"Suggest?" Nor Hur said pouncing on the word as the man hoped he would. "Is the abomination dead or not?"

"It has to be dead, Commander Nor Hur," one of the priest said, "the Jedi says it is dead, they are even hold a memorial service for it, our spies in the infidels service say it is dead. Their military and Senate are launching investigations as we speak to avoid taking the blame for this, it must be dead."

"Infidel, did you not just tell us that they believed that someone purposely detonated a weapon to destroy their base?" One of the more intelligent warriors asked.

"Yes, a due to large destruction and background radiation they believe a photon torpedo was detonated on ground level. Due to the high explosive power of these torpedoes, there are safe guards against this happening. The only way such device could have gone off after the X-Wing was destroyed was to manually trigger the explosion."

"And the Slayer did report that the warriors with him made all their crafts unusable." Nor Hur said in a thought full voice, "but they also reported finding a unknown craft North of the base, crashed and destroyed. The Slayer had killed every infidel and all their lifeless creatures at the base before it returned to the base. Who was flying the craft?"

"Unknown, they never found any bodies at the crash site."

"They would have been consumed by the fire it caused or the fire caused by the explosion, just like many of our brave warriors were bodies were consumed."

"True, no Yuuzhan Vong warrior or weapons, save the ship, were located; the fires were very intense and burned for many days before burning its self out."

"And none of the _Wraiths_ had been located at this time or contacted any outside help, correct?"

"Yes, Commander."

"The Abomination's weapon was found was it not? And it was found with the kind of damage that suggested it was destroyed by our weapons?"

"Yes Commander."

"Oh glory to Yum-Yuuzhan, we may report that the Abomination is destroyed." The priest said in a joyful tone.

"The reports could be interpreted in that manner." The man felt an amphistaff wrap around his next and was forced to his feet, the commander stared into his eyes as the air was slowly being cut off. He made no sound, made no move to resist; he just stared back at Nor Hur defiantly.

"What do you know?"

"Nothing my lord, except a gut feeling that she is still among the living."

"A gut feeling we can remove from you Infidel," one of the warriors said but Nor Hur held up his hand to silence the warrior.

"Why do you believe the Abomination is still alive?"

"With her traveled the four oldest and deadliest Wraiths, who have survived worst attacks then the one the Slayer could have used against them. Also our spies said a gift was sent to the Abomination for the anti god and was picked up by the leader, 'Face', who was returning at the same time as the Abomination. We do not know what it was or how it could help her but we must assume nothing. Until we see the lifeless husk we must assume that she still breathes."

Nor Hur released him and he fell to the floor, trying not to make it too noticeable that he was having hard time breathing. Nor Hur paced around the chamber, no one dare to interrupt his thinking. After a long time he turned to the priest and told him to report that, the Abomination was dead.

"However," he said turning back to the man, " if any scent, no matter how faint or how old, is discovered of any surviving members of these _Wraith_ are found you will instruct your lackeys to hunt down this scent."

"Yes my lord." He hoped he did enough; it would be a disaster if they found out she was still alive by her showing up at the wrong time or wrong place. He already fell once from his destiny, and the universe sometimes granted a second chance but never a third.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"So it has been three weeks now and no sign of any of the Wraiths." Admiral Traest Kre'fey asked to the five officers that were in his spacious office on Denon. In many ways, he enjoyed his position of Supreme Commander of Galactic Alliance Armed Forces. He has implemented some changes in the structure of the military to make sure all branches were able to work together, getting rid of some of the red tape that tied his hands early in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, and streamline a lot of the fat. The war took care of a lot of that since the useless and incompetent commanders and equipment were usually destroyed quickly. His legacy would be one of strength and security and a truly prepared force to safe guard the GA. They would never face the embarrassment that they had suffered during the war, being caught off guard and ill prepared.

Of course that was the bad side of this job, getting the military to change at all was taking up a large portion of his wake hours. There were still too many commanders who clung to the old thinking, that the system was not has broken as he was claiming. Well a person only had to look at the past 4 years to know that answer. He was quietly rotating any one who was as moss bound as swamp moss out to retirement or garrison duty in the Hutt Space. There were one or two commands out there that he privately referred to as 'sarlacc', bases or ships that he could lose without affecting his overall plans to rid the galaxy of the Yuuzhan Vong.

There were a few Senators he would love to drop in one of those pits, but they were elected and beyond his reach. He knew of a few Senator that were part of the "Vong Free" movement, a group he had secretly set up and was running that were making those offending senators sweat. He hoped that in a year or so the group would be large enough, have enough power so he could launch his all out attack against the Yuuzhan Vong. The ones left in the old Hutt territory was doing 90% of his work for him, their consent raids and attacks were fueling the fire against Cal and the Jedi for going to soft on the Yuuzhan Vong after the war. After he was done with them, he could take the war to Zonama Sekot and then he could retire.

"No sir, if they are still alive they would have contacted someone by now, a member of their family if no one else." One of his aids told him.

"Why would they avoid contact anyways? Our agent said they were looking for Peace Brigade members not anyone from us."

"True," Traest said leading back in his chair, the worst thing about this position was the entire endless meeting with his staff, with the Senate, other commanders, and diplomatic meeting with other military forces out there. He tried to console himself with the thought that this was just another form or warfare, but he had to admit that sometimes he missed the trill of battle.

"At least that little freak is dead, not soon enough for me." A heavy set general said, and then quickly amended that statement, "I mean …"

"Don't worry about me General, what ever that thing was the Tahiri that my brother had loved died a long time ago."

Traest looked over at the window at Jaina Solo, she had been standing there quietly since this briefing had begun. Traest knew that she was still affect by the death of Tahiri and was upset at the reaction of her family and friends were when they found out.

"Colonel Solo, you know if there had been …"

She turned around, he could see that she had been crying but she looked in control and her voice was strong.

"I understand Supreme Commander, believe me if I thought for a second that we could save Tahiri I would never gone along with this. However, even Sekot couldn't undo the damage those damn shapers had did to her. She was beyond anyone's ability to help her. However, we had to do it, if she decided to join the Yuuzhan Vong if my brother vision of her came true, we could lose everything. She was growing unstable everyone could see it. Hell our own man reported how strange she was, how she pulled jokes and … that is not Tahiri we killed." She turned back to the window shaking her head, "we did what we had to do, I don't like it but I accept it. Some day my parents, uncle, and aunt will agree, we did the best thing for her, we released her. In addition, we have been warned that if she should accidentally be exposed to Alpha Red, she could make it possible for humans and near humans to become infected. We did what we had to do."

"Very well," Traest said after a very lengthy pause, "perhaps we should move on then …" _Yes, we did the right thing, Jedi or not, she was a Yuuzhan Vong and the war won't be finished until ever last one of them was gone._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Is it true? Is the one who was shaped dead?" War master Nas Choka asked Danni, he had asked this question three times so far, as if he was hoping her answer would be different if he asked enough times.

"Yes, it appears that Tahiri was killed during an attack by the rogues." She replied simply.

"How does this affect the great Sekot plans?" Harrar asked quietly from his position next to the War master.

"Sekot is meditating on that question as we speak, when Sekot has an answer Sekot will let us know."

"What answer could there be," Master Shaper Kwaad snorted from her position opposite of Harrar. She was one of the leading voices against Tahiri and using her in any manner other then as a lesson to others at the danger of playing god. Master Shaper Kwaad, in Danni opinion, had a long way to go in learning the lessons of Sekot. She was to wrap up in the old ways. "Sekot has said that only Tahiri could bring the two cultures together in peace. She was supposed to be the 'voice'."

"Tahiri was not to be the 'voice'," Danni corrected, stamping down her annoyances with the shaper, "she was supposed to lead all to Sekot, I am the 'voice'."

"My apologies," the shaper said with a smile that mocked more then invite, "however the question remains, who will lead the non-believers to the glory of Sekot if not the Jedi-who-was-shaped?"

_Oh how I wish I could see into your soul Master Kwaad, I am sure I would see an evil as dark as the space around us! If only we still had shamed statues, I am sure I could find someone to help your implants go bad._

**It seems that Master Kwaad is not the only one who still wishes for days gone by.** An immensely powerful and amused voice said to her.

_Sekot I apologies._

**No need Danni, while I still am unable to see the cousins of mine as I see all of those from our galaxy, I can still tell when one is not as sincere as one should be. Gratefully her way of thinking is dying out and the new way is getting a strong hold on many of the Yuuzhan Vong. In that way the lost of Tahiri is a terrible blow to us, for she and she alone, seemed to be able to see more then the eyes could see.**

There is Jacen Solo.

**Yes but like me, he has an incomplete vision. However to complete our goals we may have no choice but ask for his assistance. Many would follow him down the true path and he would be acceptable leader to the new way.**

Yes, Sekot I agree; except, are you truly sure Tahiri is gone?

**No, I am not, which is puzzling to me. That is why I wish to meditate further before we make any decisions. After all, they will come to us for help and direction. Our way shall lead them here, our peace and security from all the evil that exists out there. We are the Force and therefore the true way.**

Of course Sekot, I believe you. With that, she felt Sekot, not go away but return to Sekot's meditation. Danni became aware of the three leaders staring at her, she realized that, once again, her discussion with Sekot was longer then she had thought. Sekot operated on a different time scale then she did, what seem as seconds could turn out to be hours.

"Sekot wish to remind you of what we here and the Ferroans to the north are preparing for. We are all working towards the day that Sekot has seen in Sekot's vision. When all will seek out to embrace what we already have, peace, security, where no one or nothings is without and all is respected and loved. Where evil is not destroyed or fought against but simply dismissed as a part of the universe. While the lost of Tahiri is a blow, it has not destroyed that vision. They will come, on their own and in their own time, we don't force but we accept." She then bowed her head, "Sekot is the true way." The Yuuzhan Vong repeated her words and walked out the simple dwelling. Danni went to her sleeping quarters to meditate on her own; Sekot was the true way, the only way and she waited anxiously for all to finally see it for them selves.


	18. Chapter 18

"So if I get a little scratch like the Vong did, will you all carry me around like a princess?"

"There is one way one way to find out Rat."

"Auntie Tahiri put down the knife."

Face heard the banter coming from the 'patio', the open area of the mess area at the 'Hawk-Bat' base. The 'patio' was first made to make the new Wraiths all those years ago feel more at home, rather then deep inside a hollowed out asteroid. Now it was more then a simple base but a haven to rest, get healthy and regroup. It has been 3 weeks since their narrow escape from the Vong ambush at their old base on Borleias. An escape that had left Tahiri near death, even after 3 weeks of Jedi healing trances and bacta treatments, she was still weak and not yet healed. She had been seriously injured from the fight with the Yuuzhan Vong, taking multiple slash wounds, separated right shoulder, and couple broken ribs. From the crash of the _Double Trouble_ she broke her left wrist and her right leg. She also had to stay awake to help them find shelter and protect them from the fires that passed over them. Using the Force in battle and then later to protect them had taken a lot out of her.

Since neither Tahiri nor Deloni could be moved, Kell, Ratnena and Hall traveled north to steal a ride. They got an YT-1300 from the bone yard and raided some supplies for them to survive with. The emergency rations were horrible and the ship was the biggest piece of junk ever to attempt space flight but they got here.

He wanted to contact the general at first but was shot down by Squeaky, Little Brother and Ratnena. They told him about a lot of the information they had retrieved from the computer on Denon. Although much of it was destroyed when the _Double Trouble _crashed, Little Brother still carried enough information to make Face change his original plans. 

The Senate's involvement with the Peace Brigade, helping them with money, recruiting, and intelligence was very disturbing. It was through both military and civilian agents that helped the Peace Brigade tried to track Tahiri, that is why Starred and High were originally sent along with the Wraiths, to act as another set of eyes. However, they were never 100% certain that she would be there, so that is why Starred pulled the stun he did. He had to make sure it was Tahiri before he could contact the Slayer, they had warned him about her 'hair' problem.

The secret organization to push the war to the Yuuzhan Vong on Zonama Sekot, using government money and personal to run and fund that organization. There was even a hint of destroying certain careers for not falling in step. The bomb left in her X-wing was installed by the military while she was making finial arraignments to meet Kell and him on Borleias, the person who activated it was Long Shot. Ratnena had found that particular report just before they had to leave Denon, after verifying his true identity the report were easier to find since he filed them under his correct name. It appears that one day they had planned to release all this information, long after most of them were dead, to justify their actions against the Jedi Vong. They were on a mission to rid the galaxy of all Yuuzhan Vong, even those on their side, even those not fully Yuuzhan Vong. Even Hall, who was never too happy about Tahiri, was disturbed by the idea of the military targeting Tahiri for no other reason then she was Yuuzhan Vong. 

The fact that three agents got through his screening process disturbed him deeply, even if they had help in the military, it made him question the true identity of the rest of his recruits. How many spies did he have there at the beginning? Were there some from the Empire, Chiss, the numerous other minor powers in the galaxy? Ratnena never did get a good long look at the backgrounds of Road Kill, Boom-boom and Sparks, were they working for him or someone else? Should he risk sending Ratnena and Little Brother back to Denon for a more complete check or should he just keep an extra eye out on them?

In reality he had to trust them, there were only nine of them left and there was so much work to do. They had to root out the monetary pipeline that runs the Peace Brigade, shut off the flow of information to them, and bring those individual on their side to justice. They also had to expose the 'Vong Free' league; anyone was free to join any organization they wished as long as they didn't spend tax money to funded it or use government employees to staff it nor government materials to commit murder.

So instead of sending Kell, Hall, and Ratnena after help, he sent them after a way to escape. They need to catch their collected breaths and heal before they set off on their mission. When he discussed this option at the rock pile that helped protect them from the fires, no one voiced opposition to the idea. Hall and Ratnena looked like they wanted to head out then and there and find some scalps to collect. The three soon-to-be retired Wraiths also agreed, stating they couldn't head home just yet.

"I have to stay Face, how often does one get to save the galaxy?" Elassar had said when he was asked.

"Really Face," Piggy said, "we have only done this a dozen or so times, it will be fun."

"My wife will understand she a Jedi after all."

"Will she really understand or is that wishful thinking sir?"

"She'll understand Bora … I hope." Kell said then pointed to Tahiri who had been laying down next Ratnena almost passed out, "Jedi are like that calm and in control."

"In that case sir, I suggest a double suit or armor."

"Thanks so much Aunt Tahiri."

So they had all agreed to stay 'dead' until they gathered enough information to bring down the Peace Brigade. Then they would have only one enemy to worry about and that enemy couldn't kill them as openly as the rest.

He set the scanners on self-monitor and got up from the control station to join the rest for a few minutes. When he walked in to the 'Trench' he could see Tahiri, lying on two chairs, out on the patio. Ratnena was sitting near by her, helping her feed her new pet Bangor, and making comments about the naked flying Jedi. Tahiri has already sworn to be fully dressed at all times, even in the shower. Face asked her on the way here if her feeling changed at all about Bangor.

"No sir, not really but I don't have much choice right now. I just have to keep a close eye on us."

Road Kill and Boom-Boom were sitting at the other table interjecting their own comments into the conversation, usually at the expense of Ratnena. They both felt more at ease around Tahiri lately. Her action during the battle calmed a lot of their fears. As were the three older Wraiths, who just made cracks on everyone and anyone who gave them a millimeter of an opening. Sparks and Little Brother were at the other table just inside the patio working on some of the communication equipment. Squeaky, of course, was going around complaining about everything. _Home sweet home, and for how long?_

"Commander, I supposed that you wish to have something to eat now, also?" Squeaky said in a tone that would suggest asking for anything would be a bad idea.

"Not right now I wake you up in few hours for something."

Say, young man aren't you supposed to be on guard duty?" Kell said pointing his fork at him like a blaster.

"Make him clean the mess hall with his toothbrush." Ratnena said with an evil grin.

"We only have a few spares and they have already been reserved for you Flight Officer Bora." Squeaky said from the table that Little Brother was at. After everyone calm down from the laughing fit, Face got to the point.

"We do need some supplies, we can't denied Ratnena her chance to clean the entire base. Kell, Ratnena, Deloni and Alpha, you guys will take that flying death trap and go get us some supplies. I want a list from everyone by tomorrow on what supplies you need. Squeaky, could you go along with them?"

"Of course sir, if you want to do the job right you must be there to supervise."

"Hall, Elassar, Little Brother and I will finish going through the records we saved, start rating our targets and planning a few raids. Tahiri, you go back in the tank."

"Great," she said rolling her eyes, "you know what I really want for my eighteenth Life Day?"

"I'm not sure we can fine a guy for you Vong, not on this short of … ouch that hurts!"

"Can you go five minutes without thinking about guys!" Tahiri said giving her a mock glare, as Ratnena rubbed her sore shoulder and gave Tahiri a superior smile, "I would really like to get through a mission without getting hurt. I really hate the taste of bacta."

"If you would stop jumping out of shuttles, Auntie Tahiri."

"Well the way you fly …"

"Anyways, get your list together, Squeaky will collect them. Something we can't get but we will try our best. Starting tomorrow, we began to fight back."

"Us against the rest of the galaxy, that seems so unfair, dishonorable." Tahiri said in a sad voice.

"We can only play the hand we were dealt Peacekeeper," Elassar said gently.

"I know, but couldn't we tell them we are alive. I mean they think we are dead and they have no chance against us right now. If they knew we were alive they might not feel bad as we take them down, they will at least feel like they had a small chance; not that they would of course."

"She is such a Jedi." Hall said with a grin after a long pause as everyone just looked at her.

"Are they all this nuts?"

"I keep telling you Bora, wait till you marry one."

"Right, make a note never ever date a Jedi they are just too weird … ouch will stop hitting that shoulder."

"I am sorry Rat."

"That is ok … ouch I didn't mean to start hitting the other one."

"She does have a point, I would love to see their faces when they discover just who it is that brings them down." Alpha said laughing.

"You guys are going to give me a ulcer," Face said laughing and getting up to head back to the control center. They were rested, they were primed, and he just hoped they weren't getting too confident. But he knew Kell and the rest would keep the kids down on the level. He was sure that after a few missions they will calm down, it is hard to not get cocky after surviving the worst an enemy could do to you.

And after a few missions someone was going to learn the most important lesson in the galaxy; if you going to kill the Wraiths don't do it half way, nothing is more deadly then a Wraith out for revenge.

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Coming soon book 3 'I want to hold you, I wish to thrill you, and I'm going to kill you!' Tahiri and the Wraiths against the galaxy … you have to feel sorry for the galaxy. I do appreciate all the reviews and I am pleased to know many of you have enjoyed my stories thus far. I hope I can keep you entertained in the future. Hopefully next week the 3rd book will start. Thank you again for the reviews.


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